diff --git a/add-on/manifest.json b/add-on/manifest.json
index 4f9be7a60..78383c332 100644
--- a/add-on/manifest.json
+++ b/add-on/manifest.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
     "manifest_version": 2,
     "name": "IPFS Companion (Development Channel)",
     "short_name": "IPFS Companion",
-    "version" : "2.0.6",
+    "version" : "2.0.7",
 
     "description": "Access IPFS resources via custom HTTP2IPFS gateway",
     "homepage_url": "https://github.com/ipfs/ipfs-companion",
diff --git a/add-on/src/lib/common.js b/add-on/src/lib/common.js
index d7d6b74cd..8569ba25f 100644
--- a/add-on/src/lib/common.js
+++ b/add-on/src/lib/common.js
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ async function init () {
     const options = await browser.storage.local.get(optionDefaults)
     ipfs = initIpfsApi(options.ipfsApiUrl)
     initStates(options)
-    restartAlarms(options)
     registerListeners()
+    setApiStatusUpdateInterval(options.ipfsApiPollMs)
     await storeMissingOptions(options, optionDefaults)
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Unable to initialize addon due to error', error)
@@ -38,13 +38,6 @@ async function initStates (options) {
   state.linkify = options.linkify
   state.dnslink = options.dnslink
   state.dnslinkCache = /* global LRUMap */ new LRUMap(1000)
-  await getSwarmPeerCount()
-    .then(updatePeerCountState)
-    .then(updateBrowserActionBadge)
-}
-
-function updatePeerCountState (count) {
-  state.peerCount = count
 }
 
 function registerListeners () {
@@ -54,21 +47,6 @@ function registerListeners () {
   browser.tabs.onUpdated.addListener(onUpdatedTab)
 }
 
-/*
-function smokeTestLibs () {
-  // is-ipfs
-  console.info('is-ipfs library test (should be true) --> ' + window.IsIpfs.multihash('QmUqRvxzQyYWNY6cD1Hf168fXeqDTQWwZpyXjU5RUExciZ'))
-  // ipfs-api: execute test request :-)
-  ipfs.id()
-    .then(id => {
-      console.info('ipfs-api .id() test --> Node ID is: ', id)
-    })
-    .catch(err => {
-      console.info('ipfs-api .id() test --> Failed to read Node info: ', err)
-    })
-}
-*/
-
 // REDIRECT
 // ===================================================================
 
@@ -221,48 +199,52 @@ function readDnslinkTxtRecordFromApi (fqdn) {
   })
 }
 
-// ALARMS
+// PORTS
 // ===================================================================
+// https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/runtime/connect
+// Make a connection between different contexts inside the add-on,
+// e.g. signalling between browser action popup and background page that works
+// in everywhere, even in private contexts (https://github.com/ipfs/ipfs-companion/issues/243)
+
+const browserActionPortName = 'browser-action-port'
+var browserActionPort
+
+browser.runtime.onConnect.addListener(port => {
+  // console.log('onConnect', port)
+  if (port.name === browserActionPortName) {
+    browserActionPort = port
+    browserActionPort.onMessage.addListener(handleMessageFromBrowserAction)
+    browserActionPort.onDisconnect.addListener(() => { browserActionPort = null })
+    sendStatusUpdateToBrowserAction()
+  }
+})
 
-const ipfsApiStatusUpdateAlarm = 'ipfs-api-status-update'
-const ipfsRedirectUpdateAlarm = 'ipfs-redirect-update'
-
-function handleAlarm (alarm) {
-  // avoid making expensive updates when IDLE
-  if (alarm.name === ipfsApiStatusUpdateAlarm) {
-    getSwarmPeerCount()
-      .then(updatePeerCountState)
-      .then(updateAutomaticModeRedirectState)
-      .then(updateBrowserActionBadge)
-      .then(updateContextMenus)
+function handleMessageFromBrowserAction (message) {
+  // console.log('In background script, received message from browser action', message)
+  if (message.event === 'notification') {
+    notify(message.title, message.message)
   }
 }
 
-/*
-const idleInSecs = 60
-function runIfNotIdle (action) {
-  browser.idle.queryState(idleInSecs)
-    .then(state => {
-      if (state === 'active') {
-        return action()
+async function sendStatusUpdateToBrowserAction () {
+  if (browserActionPort) {
+    const info = {
+      peerCount: state.peerCount,
+      gwURLString: state.gwURLString,
+      currentTab: await browser.tabs.query({active: true, currentWindow: true}).then(tabs => tabs[0])
+    }
+    try {
+      let v = await ipfs.version()
+      if (v) {
+        info.gatewayVersion = v.commit ? v.version + '/' + v.commit : v.version
       }
-    })
-    .catch(error => {
-      console.error(`Unable to read idle state due to ${error}`)
-    })
-}
-*/
-
-// API HELPERS
-// ===================================================================
-
-async function getSwarmPeerCount () {
-  try {
-    const peerInfos = await ipfs.swarm.peers()
-    return peerInfos.length
-  } catch (error) {
-      // console.error(`Error while ipfs.swarm.peers: ${err}`)
-    return -1
+    } catch (error) {
+      info.gatewayVersion = null
+    }
+    if (info.currentTab) {
+      info.ipfsPageActionsContext = isIpfsPageActionsContext(info.currentTab.url)
+    }
+    browserActionPort.postMessage({statusUpdate: info})
   }
 }
 
@@ -380,23 +362,60 @@ async function onUpdatedTab (tabId, changeInfo, tab) {
   }
 }
 
-// browserAction
+// API STATUS UPDATES
 // -------------------------------------------------------------------
+// API is polled for peer count every ipfsApiPollMs
+
+const offlinePeerCount = -1
+const idleInSecs = 5 * 60
 
-async function restartAlarms (options) {
-  await browser.alarms.clearAll()
-  if (!browser.alarms.onAlarm.hasListener(handleAlarm)) {
-    browser.alarms.onAlarm.addListener(handleAlarm)
+var apiStatusUpdateInterval
+
+function setApiStatusUpdateInterval (ipfsApiPollMs) {
+  if (apiStatusUpdateInterval) {
+    clearInterval(apiStatusUpdateInterval)
   }
-  await createIpfsApiStatusUpdateAlarm(options.ipfsApiPollMs)
+  apiStatusUpdateInterval = setInterval(() => runIfNotIdle(apiStatusUpdate), ipfsApiPollMs)
+  apiStatusUpdate()
+}
+
+async function apiStatusUpdate () {
+  state.peerCount = await getSwarmPeerCount()
+  updatePeerCountDependentStates()
+  sendStatusUpdateToBrowserAction()
 }
 
-function createIpfsApiStatusUpdateAlarm (ipfsApiPollMs) {
-  const periodInMinutes = ipfsApiPollMs / 60000
-  const when = Date.now() + 500
-  return browser.alarms.create(ipfsApiStatusUpdateAlarm, { when, periodInMinutes })
+function updatePeerCountDependentStates () {
+  updateAutomaticModeRedirectState()
+  updateBrowserActionBadge()
+  updateContextMenus()
+}
+
+async function getSwarmPeerCount () {
+  try {
+    const peerInfos = await ipfs.swarm.peers()
+    return peerInfos.length
+  } catch (error) {
+    // console.error(`Error while ipfs.swarm.peers: ${err}`)
+    return offlinePeerCount
+  }
 }
 
+async function runIfNotIdle (action) {
+  try {
+    const state = await browser.idle.queryState(idleInSecs)
+    if (state === 'active') {
+      return action()
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('Unable to read idle state, executing action without idle check', error)
+    return action()
+  }
+}
+
+// browserAction
+// -------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 async function updateBrowserActionBadge () {
   let badgeText, badgeColor, badgeIcon
   badgeText = state.peerCount.toString()
@@ -518,17 +537,14 @@ function onStorageChange (changes, area) { // eslint-disable-line no-unused-vars
         state.apiURL = new URL(change.newValue)
         state.apiURLString = state.apiURL.toString()
         ipfs = initIpfsApi(state.apiURLString)
-        browser.alarms.create(ipfsApiStatusUpdateAlarm, {})
+        apiStatusUpdate()
       } else if (key === 'ipfsApiPollMs') {
-        browser.alarms.clear(ipfsApiStatusUpdateAlarm).then(() => {
-          createIpfsApiStatusUpdateAlarm(change.newValue)
-        })
+        setApiStatusUpdateInterval(change.newValue)
       } else if (key === 'customGatewayUrl') {
         state.gwURL = new URL(change.newValue)
         state.gwURLString = state.gwURL.toString()
       } else if (key === 'useCustomGateway') {
         state.redirect = change.newValue
-        browser.alarms.create(ipfsRedirectUpdateAlarm, {})
       } else if (key === 'linkify') {
         state.linkify = change.newValue
       } else if (key === 'automaticMode') {
diff --git a/add-on/src/popup/browser-action.js b/add-on/src/popup/browser-action.js
index aa73fa298..aa8be9c0d 100644
--- a/add-on/src/popup/browser-action.js
+++ b/add-on/src/popup/browser-action.js
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ const ipfsIconOn = '../../icons/ipfs-logo-on.svg'
 const ipfsIconOff = '../../icons/ipfs-logo-off.svg'
 const offline = 'offline'
 
+var port
+var state
+
 function resolv (element) {
   // lookup DOM if element is just a string ID
   if (Object.prototype.toString.call(element) === '[object String]') {
@@ -49,28 +52,24 @@ function getBackgroundPage () {
   return browser.runtime.getBackgroundPage()
 }
 
-function getCurrentTab () {
-  return browser.tabs.query({active: true, currentWindow: true}).then(tabs => tabs[0])
+function notify (title, message) {
+  port.postMessage({event: 'notification', title: title, message: message})
 }
 
 // Ipfs Context Page Actions
 // ===================================================================
 
 async function copyCurrentPublicGwAddress () {
-  const bg = await getBackgroundPage()
-  const currentTab = await getCurrentTab()
-  const publicGwAddress = new URL(currentTab.url.replace(bg.state.gwURLString, 'https://ipfs.io/')).toString()
+  const publicGwAddress = new URL(state.currentTab.url.replace(state.gwURLString, 'https://ipfs.io/')).toString()
   copyTextToClipboard(publicGwAddress)
-  bg.notify('notify_copiedPublicURLTitle', publicGwAddress)
+  notify('notify_copiedPublicURLTitle', publicGwAddress)
   window.close()
 }
 
 async function copyCurrentCanonicalAddress () {
-  const bg = await getBackgroundPage()
-  const currentTab = await getCurrentTab()
-  const rawIpfsAddress = currentTab.url.replace(/^.+(\/ip(f|n)s\/.+)/, '$1')
+  const rawIpfsAddress = state.currentTab.url.replace(/^.+(\/ip(f|n)s\/.+)/, '$1')
   copyTextToClipboard(rawIpfsAddress)
-  bg.notify('notify_copiedCanonicalAddressTitle', rawIpfsAddress)
+  notify('notify_copiedCanonicalAddressTitle', rawIpfsAddress)
   window.close()
 }
 
@@ -89,11 +88,10 @@ async function pinCurrentResource () {
   deactivatePinButton()
   try {
     const bg = await getBackgroundPage()
-    const currentTab = await getCurrentTab()
-    const currentPath = await resolveToIPFS(new URL(currentTab.url).pathname)
+    const currentPath = await resolveToIPFS(new URL(state.currentTab.url).pathname)
     const pinResult = await bg.ipfs.pin.add(currentPath, { recursive: true })
     console.log('ipfs.pin.add result', pinResult)
-    bg.notify('notify_pinnedIpfsResourceTitle', currentPath)
+    notify('notify_pinnedIpfsResourceTitle', currentPath)
   } catch (error) {
     handlePinError('notify_pinErrorTitle', error)
   }
@@ -104,11 +102,10 @@ async function unpinCurrentResource () {
   deactivatePinButton()
   try {
     const bg = await getBackgroundPage()
-    const currentTab = await getCurrentTab()
-    const currentPath = await resolveToIPFS(new URL(currentTab.url).pathname)
+    const currentPath = await resolveToIPFS(new URL(state.currentTab.url).pathname)
     const result = await bg.ipfs.pin.rm(currentPath, {recursive: true})
     console.log('ipfs.pin.rm result', result)
-    bg.notify('notify_unpinnedIpfsResourceTitle', currentPath)
+    notify('notify_unpinnedIpfsResourceTitle', currentPath)
   } catch (error) {
     handlePinError('notify_unpinErrorTitle', error)
   }
@@ -140,8 +137,7 @@ async function handlePinError (errorMessageKey, error) {
   console.error(browser.i18n.getMessage(errorMessageKey), error)
   deactivatePinButton()
   try {
-    const bg = await getBackgroundPage()
-    bg.notify(errorMessageKey, error.message)
+    notify(errorMessageKey, error.message)
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('unable to access background page', error)
   }
@@ -159,8 +155,7 @@ async function resolveToIPFS (path) {
 async function activatePinButton () {
   try {
     const bg = await getBackgroundPage()
-    const currentTab = await getCurrentTab()
-    const currentPath = await resolveToIPFS(new URL(currentTab.url).pathname)
+    const currentPath = await resolveToIPFS(new URL(state.currentTab.url).pathname)
     const response = await bg.ipfs.pin.ls(currentPath, {quiet: true})
     console.log(`positive ipfs.pin.ls for ${currentPath}: ${JSON.stringify(response)}`)
     activateUnpinning()
@@ -176,21 +171,27 @@ async function activatePinButton () {
 }
 
 async function updatePageActions () {
-  // console.log('running updatePageActions()')
-  try {
-    const bg = await getBackgroundPage()
-    const currentTab = await getCurrentTab()
-    if (bg.isIpfsPageActionsContext(currentTab.url)) {
-      deactivatePinButton()
-      show(ipfsContextActions)
-      copyPublicGwAddressButton.onclick = copyCurrentPublicGwAddress
-      copyIpfsAddressButton.onclick = copyCurrentCanonicalAddress
+  // IPFS contexts require access to background page
+  // which is denied in Private Browsing mode
+  const bg = await getBackgroundPage()
+
+  // Check if current page is an IPFS one
+  const ipfsContext = bg && state && state.ipfsPageActionsContext
+
+  // There is no point in displaying actions that require API interaction if API is down
+  const apiIsUp = state && state.peerCount >= 0
+
+  if (ipfsContext) {
+    show(ipfsContextActions)
+    copyPublicGwAddressButton.onclick = copyCurrentPublicGwAddress
+    copyIpfsAddressButton.onclick = copyCurrentCanonicalAddress
+    if (apiIsUp) {
       activatePinButton()
     } else {
-      hide(ipfsContextActions)
+      deactivatePinButton()
     }
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error(`Error while setting up pageAction: ${error}`)
+  } else {
+    hide(ipfsContextActions)
   }
 }
 
@@ -223,6 +224,7 @@ openPreferences.onclick = () => {
 }
 
 async function updateBrowserActionPopup () {
+  updatePageActions()
   // update redirect status
   const options = await browser.storage.local.get()
   try {
@@ -247,46 +249,45 @@ async function updateBrowserActionPopup () {
     set('gateway-address-val', '???')
   }
 
-  try {
-    const background = await browser.runtime.getBackgroundPage()
-    if (background.ipfs) {
-      // update swarm peer count
-      try {
-        const peerCount = background.state.peerCount
-        set('swarm-peers-val', peerCount < 0 ? offline : peerCount)
-        ipfsIcon.src = peerCount > 0 ? ipfsIconOn : ipfsIconOff
-        if (peerCount > 0) { // API is online & there are peers
-          show('quick-upload')
-        } else {
-          hide('quick-upload')
-        }
-        if (peerCount < 0) { // API is offline
-          hide('open-webui')
-        } else {
-          show('open-webui')
-        }
-      } catch (error) {
-        console.error(`Unable update peer count due to ${error}`)
-      }
-      // update gateway version
-      try {
-        const v = await background.ipfs.version()
-        set('gateway-version-val', (v.commit ? v.version + '/' + v.commit : v.version))
-      } catch (error) {
-        set('gateway-version-val', offline)
-      }
+  if (state) {
+    // update swarm peer count
+    const peerCount = state.peerCount
+    set('swarm-peers-val', peerCount < 0 ? offline : peerCount)
+    ipfsIcon.src = peerCount > 0 ? ipfsIconOn : ipfsIconOff
+    if (peerCount > 0) { // API is online & there are peers
+      show('quick-upload')
+    } else {
+      hide('quick-upload')
     }
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.error(`Error while accessing background page: ${error}`)
+    if (peerCount < 0) { // API is offline
+      hide('open-webui')
+    } else {
+      show('open-webui')
+    }
+    // update gateway version
+    set('gateway-version-val', state.gatewayVersion ? state.gatewayVersion : offline)
   }
 }
 
 // hide things that cause ugly reflow if removed later
+deactivatePinButton()
 hide(ipfsContextActions)
 hide('quick-upload')
 hide('open-webui')
 
-// listen to any changes and update diagnostics
-browser.alarms.onAlarm.addListener(updateBrowserActionPopup)
-document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', updatePageActions)
-document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', updateBrowserActionPopup)
+function onDOMContentLoaded () {
+  // set up initial layout that will remain if there are no peers
+  updateBrowserActionPopup()
+  // initialize connection to the background script which will trigger UI updates
+  port = browser.runtime.connect({name: 'browser-action-port'})
+  port.onMessage.addListener((message) => {
+    if (message.statusUpdate) {
+      // console.log('In browser action, received message from background:', message)
+      state = message.statusUpdate
+      updateBrowserActionPopup()
+    }
+  })
+}
+
+// init
+document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', onDOMContentLoaded)