diff --git a/js/data.js b/js/data.js
index 8950382a..b2f5c21f 100644
--- a/js/data.js
+++ b/js/data.js
@@ -38,12 +38,14 @@ var data = (function() {
     var data = load();
     if (data) {
       if ("runtime" in chrome) {
-        if (!("version" in data) || data.version != version.get()) {
-          console.log("data version " + data.version + " found less than current");
-          data = update.run(data);
-          set(saveName, JSON.stringify(data));
-        } else {
-          console.log("data version " + version.get() + " no need to run update");
+        if ("getManifest" in chrome.runtime) {
+          if (!("version" in data) || data.version != version.get()) {
+            console.log("data version " + data.version + " found less than current");
+            data = update.run(data);
+            set(saveName, JSON.stringify(data));
+          } else {
+            console.log("data version " + version.get() + " no need to run update");
+          };
         };
       };
     };
diff --git a/js/init.js b/js/init.js
index 5fa31eae..ce2a96a5 100644
--- a/js/init.js
+++ b/js/init.js
@@ -1,10 +1,19 @@
 // log version
-if ("runtime" in chrome) {
-  console.log("nightTab version", version.get());
-} else {
+var demoMessage = function() {
   console.log("nightTab running in demo mode");
   console.log("all bookmarks or preference changes will not persist in demo mode");
 };
+
+if ("runtime" in chrome) {
+  if ("getManifest" in chrome.runtime) {
+    console.log("nightTab version", version.get());
+  } else {
+    demoMessage();
+  };
+} else {
+  demoMessage();
+};
+
 data.init();
 state.init();
 bookmarks.init();