diff --git a/Gruntfile.js b/Gruntfile.js
index 2d25d080b..6018471a3 100644
--- a/Gruntfile.js
+++ b/Gruntfile.js
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
           'libtextsecure/helpers.js',
           'libtextsecure/stringview.js',
           'libtextsecure/api.js',
+          'libtextsecure/message_receiver.js',
           'libtextsecure/sendmessage.js',
         ],
         dest: 'js/libtextsecure.js',
diff --git a/js/background.js b/js/background.js
index 7df69a7c6..33be48213 100644
--- a/js/background.js
+++ b/js/background.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 ;(function() {
     'use strict';
-    var socket;
+    var messageReceiver;
 
     if (!localStorage.getItem('first_install_ran')) {
         localStorage.setItem('first_install_ran', 1);
@@ -29,10 +29,10 @@
     extension.on('registration_done', init);
 
     window.getSocketStatus = function() {
-        if (socket) {
-            return socket.getStatus();
+        if (messageReceiver) {
+            return messageReceiver.getStatus();
         } else {
-            return WebSocket.CONNECTING;
+            return -1;
         }
     };
 
@@ -40,30 +40,16 @@
         if (!textsecure.registration.isDone()) { return; }
 
         // initialize the socket and start listening for messages
-        socket = textsecure.api.getMessageWebsocket();
-
-        new WebSocketResource(socket, function(request) {
-            // TODO: handle different types of requests. for now we only expect
-            // PUT /messages <encrypted IncomingPushMessageSignal>
-            textsecure.crypto.decryptWebsocketMessage(request.body).then(function(plaintext) {
-                var proto = textsecure.protobuf.IncomingPushMessageSignal.decode(plaintext);
-                // After this point, decoding errors are not the server's
-                // fault, and we should handle them gracefully and tell the
-                // user they received an invalid message
-                request.respond(200, 'OK');
-
-                if (proto.type === textsecure.protobuf.IncomingPushMessageSignal.Type.RECEIPT) {
-                    onDeliveryReceipt(proto);
-                } else {
-                    onMessageReceived(proto);
-                }
-
-            }).catch(function(e) {
-                console.log("Error handling incoming message:", e);
-                extension.trigger('error', e);
-                request.respond(500, 'Bad encrypted websocket message');
-            });
+        messageReceiver = new textsecure.MessageReceiver(window);
+        window.addEventListener('signal', function(ev) {
+            var proto = ev.proto;
+            if (proto.type === textsecure.protobuf.IncomingPushMessageSignal.Type.RECEIPT) {
+                onDeliveryReceipt(proto);
+            } else {
+                onMessageReceived(proto);
+            }
         });
+        messageReceiver.connect();
 
         // refresh views
         var views = extension.windows.getViews();
diff --git a/js/key_worker.js b/js/key_worker.js
index 4d5e2a0d7..a603372e4 100644
--- a/js/key_worker.js
+++ b/js/key_worker.js
@@ -39374,6 +39374,75 @@ window.textsecure.api = function () {
     return self;
 }();
 
+/* vim: ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+;(function () {
+    'use strict';
+    window.textsecure = window.textsecure || {};
+
+    function MessageReceiver(eventTarget) {
+        if (eventTarget instanceof EventTarget) {
+            this.target = eventTarget;
+        } else {
+            throw new TypeError('MessageReceiver expected an EventTarget');
+        }
+    }
+
+    MessageReceiver.prototype = {
+        constructor: MessageReceiver,
+        connect: function() {
+            // initialize the socket and start listening for messages
+            this.socket = textsecure.api.getMessageWebsocket();
+            var eventTarget = this.target;
+
+            new WebSocketResource(this.socket, function(request) {
+                // TODO: handle different types of requests. for now we only expect
+                // PUT /messages <encrypted IncomingPushMessageSignal>
+                textsecure.crypto.decryptWebsocketMessage(request.body).then(function(plaintext) {
+                    var proto = textsecure.protobuf.IncomingPushMessageSignal.decode(plaintext);
+                    // After this point, decoding errors are not the server's
+                    // fault, and we should handle them gracefully and tell the
+                    // user they received an invalid message
+                    request.respond(200, 'OK');
+
+                    var ev = new Event('signal');
+                    ev.proto = proto;
+                    eventTarget.dispatchEvent(ev);
+
+                }).catch(function(e) {
+                    console.log("Error handling incoming message:", e);
+                    extension.trigger('error', e);
+                    request.respond(500, 'Bad encrypted websocket message');
+                });
+            });
+        },
+        getStatus: function() {
+            if (this.socket) {
+                return this.socket.getStatus();
+            } else {
+                return -1;
+            }
+        }
+    };
+
+    textsecure.MessageReceiver = MessageReceiver;
+
+}());
+
 /* vim: ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
  *
  * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
diff --git a/js/libtextsecure.js b/js/libtextsecure.js
index 80719bcdc..d6b69c6d0 100644
--- a/js/libtextsecure.js
+++ b/js/libtextsecure.js
@@ -39373,6 +39373,75 @@ window.textsecure.api = function () {
     return self;
 }();
 
+/* vim: ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+;(function () {
+    'use strict';
+    window.textsecure = window.textsecure || {};
+
+    function MessageReceiver(eventTarget) {
+        if (eventTarget instanceof EventTarget) {
+            this.target = eventTarget;
+        } else {
+            throw new TypeError('MessageReceiver expected an EventTarget');
+        }
+    }
+
+    MessageReceiver.prototype = {
+        constructor: MessageReceiver,
+        connect: function() {
+            // initialize the socket and start listening for messages
+            this.socket = textsecure.api.getMessageWebsocket();
+            var eventTarget = this.target;
+
+            new WebSocketResource(this.socket, function(request) {
+                // TODO: handle different types of requests. for now we only expect
+                // PUT /messages <encrypted IncomingPushMessageSignal>
+                textsecure.crypto.decryptWebsocketMessage(request.body).then(function(plaintext) {
+                    var proto = textsecure.protobuf.IncomingPushMessageSignal.decode(plaintext);
+                    // After this point, decoding errors are not the server's
+                    // fault, and we should handle them gracefully and tell the
+                    // user they received an invalid message
+                    request.respond(200, 'OK');
+
+                    var ev = new Event('signal');
+                    ev.proto = proto;
+                    eventTarget.dispatchEvent(ev);
+
+                }).catch(function(e) {
+                    console.log("Error handling incoming message:", e);
+                    extension.trigger('error', e);
+                    request.respond(500, 'Bad encrypted websocket message');
+                });
+            });
+        },
+        getStatus: function() {
+            if (this.socket) {
+                return this.socket.getStatus();
+            } else {
+                return -1;
+            }
+        }
+    };
+
+    textsecure.MessageReceiver = MessageReceiver;
+
+}());
+
 /* vim: ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
  *
  * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
diff --git a/libtextsecure/message_receiver.js b/libtextsecure/message_receiver.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..954ee7bcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libtextsecure/message_receiver.js
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+/* vim: ts=4:sw=4:expandtab
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+;(function () {
+    'use strict';
+    window.textsecure = window.textsecure || {};
+
+    function MessageReceiver(eventTarget) {
+        if (eventTarget instanceof EventTarget) {
+            this.target = eventTarget;
+        } else {
+            throw new TypeError('MessageReceiver expected an EventTarget');
+        }
+    }
+
+    MessageReceiver.prototype = {
+        constructor: MessageReceiver,
+        connect: function() {
+            // initialize the socket and start listening for messages
+            this.socket = textsecure.api.getMessageWebsocket();
+            var eventTarget = this.target;
+
+            new WebSocketResource(this.socket, function(request) {
+                // TODO: handle different types of requests. for now we only expect
+                // PUT /messages <encrypted IncomingPushMessageSignal>
+                textsecure.crypto.decryptWebsocketMessage(request.body).then(function(plaintext) {
+                    var proto = textsecure.protobuf.IncomingPushMessageSignal.decode(plaintext);
+                    // After this point, decoding errors are not the server's
+                    // fault, and we should handle them gracefully and tell the
+                    // user they received an invalid message
+                    request.respond(200, 'OK');
+
+                    var ev = new Event('signal');
+                    ev.proto = proto;
+                    eventTarget.dispatchEvent(ev);
+
+                }).catch(function(e) {
+                    console.log("Error handling incoming message:", e);
+                    extension.trigger('error', e);
+                    request.respond(500, 'Bad encrypted websocket message');
+                });
+            });
+        },
+        getStatus: function() {
+            if (this.socket) {
+                return this.socket.getStatus();
+            } else {
+                return -1;
+            }
+        }
+    };
+
+    textsecure.MessageReceiver = MessageReceiver;
+
+}());