diff --git a/electrum b/electrum
index 4e842f4a0..f0e4dadff 100755
--- a/electrum
+++ b/electrum
@@ -293,6 +293,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
     # open session
     if cmd not in offline_commands and not options.offline:
+        wallet.interface = Interface(config)
+        wallet.interface.start()
         WalletSynchronizer(wallet, config).start()
         wallet.update()
         wallet.save()
diff --git a/lib/wallet.py b/lib/wallet.py
index 464735c7c..e23d993ec 100644
--- a/lib/wallet.py
+++ b/lib/wallet.py
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ class Wallet:
 
 
     def update(self):
-        self.interface.poke()
+        self.interface.poke('synchronizer')
         self.up_to_date_event.wait(10000000000)