diff --git a/app/components/add-contributor/component.js b/app/components/add-contributor/component.js
index b1a6d50..77483fa 100644
--- a/app/components/add-contributor/component.js
+++ b/app/components/add-contributor/component.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export default Component.extend({
   isValidAddress: function() {
     // TODO: add proper address validation
     return this.get('newContributor.address') !== '';
-  }.property('kredits.web3', 'newContributor.address'),
+  }.property('kredits.ethProvider', 'newContributor.address'),
 
   isValidName: function() {
     return isPresent(this.get('newContributor.name'));
diff --git a/app/controllers/index.js b/app/controllers/index.js
index 67adbf3..1f2ecda 100644
--- a/app/controllers/index.js
+++ b/app/controllers/index.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend({
 
   kredits: service(),
 
-  contractInteractionEnabled: computed.alias('kredits.web3Provided'),
+  contractInteractionEnabled: computed.alias('kredits.hasAccounts'),
 
   proposalsOpen: function() {
     let proposals = this.get('model.proposals')
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend({
 
     this.get('model.contributors')
         .findBy('id', recipientId)
-        .incrementProperty('kredits', amount.toNumber());
+        .incrementProperty('balance', amount.toNumber());
   },
 
   _handleProposalVoted(proposalId, voter, totalVotes) {
diff --git a/app/routes/index.js b/app/routes/index.js
index 0d67ee6..929c567 100644
--- a/app/routes/index.js
+++ b/app/routes/index.js
@@ -6,16 +6,13 @@ export default Ember.Route.extend({
 
   beforeModel(transition) {
     const kredits = this.get('kredits');
-
-    if (kredits.get('web3') && kredits.get('web3Provided')) {
-      kredits.get('listAccounts').then((accounts) => {
-        if (accounts.length === 0) {
-          if (confirm('It looks like you have an Ethereum wallet available. Please unlock your account.')) {
-            transition.retry();
-          }
+    return kredits.initEthProvider().then((ethProvider) => {
+      if (kredits.get('accountNeedsUnlock')) {
+        if (confirm('It looks like you have an Ethereum wallet available. Please unlock your account.')) {
+          transition.retry();
         }
-      });
-    }
+      }
+    });
   },
 
   model() {
diff --git a/app/services/kredits.js b/app/services/kredits.js
index 9334dde..b1edc3c 100644
--- a/app/services/kredits.js
+++ b/app/services/kredits.js
@@ -28,57 +28,57 @@ export default Service.extend({
 
   ipfs: injectService(),
 
-  web3Instance: null,
-  web3Provided: false, // Web3 provided (using Mist Browser, Metamask et al.)
+  ethProvider: null,
+  currentUserAccounts: null, // default to not having an account. this is the wen web3 is loaded.
 
-  web3: function() {
-    if (this.get('web3Provider')) {
-      return this.get('web3Provider');
-    }
+  initEthProvider: function() {
+    return new Ember.RSVP.Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      let ethProvider;
+      let networkId;
+      if (typeof window.web3 !== 'undefined') {
+        debug('[kredits] Using user-provided instance, e.g. from Mist browser or Metamask');
+        networkId = parseInt(window.web3.version.network);
+        ethProvider = new ethers.providers.Web3Provider(window.web3.currentProvider, {chainId: networkId});
+        ethProvider.listAccounts().then((accounts) => {
+          this.set('currentUserAccounts', accounts);
+          this.set('ethProvider', ethProvider)
+          resolve(ethProvider);
+        });
+      } else {
+        debug('[kredits] Creating new instance from npm module class');
+        let providerUrl = localStorage.getItem('config:web3ProviderUrl') || config.web3ProviderUrl;
+        networkId = parseInt(config.contractMetadata.networkId);
+        ethProvider = new ethers.providers.JsonRpcProvider(providerUrl, {chainId: networkId});
+        this.set('ethProvider', ethProvider);
+        resolve(ethProvider);
+      }
+      window.ethProvider = ethProvider;
+    });
+  },
 
-    let web3Provider;
-    if (typeof window.web3 !== 'undefined') {
-      debug('[kredits] Using user-provided instance, e.g. from Mist browser or Metamask');
-      let networkId = parseInt(window.web3.version.network);
-      web3Provider = new ethers.providers.Web3Provider(window.web3.currentProvider, {chainId: networkId});
-      this.set('web3Provided', true);
-    } else {
-      debug('[kredits] Creating new instance from npm module class');
-      let providerUrl = localStorage.getItem('config:web3ProviderUrl') || config.web3ProviderUrl;
-      let networkId = parseInt(config.contractMetadata.networkId);
-      web3Provider = new ethers.providers.JsonRpcProvider(providerUrl, {chainId: networkId});
-    }
+  accountNeedsUnlock: computed('currentUserAccounts', function() {
+    return this.get('currentUserAccounts') && Ember.isEmpty(this.get('currentUserAccounts'));
+  }),
 
-    this.set('web3Provider', web3Provider);
-    return web3Provider;
-  }.property('web3Provider'),
+  hasAccounts: computed('currentUserAccounts', function() {
+    return !Ember.isEmpty(this.get('currentUserAccounts'));
+  }),
 
-  listAccounts: function() {
-    return this.get('web3').listAccounts();
-  }.property('web3'),
-
-  currentUserAccounts: function() {
-    // TODO: listAccounts returns now a promise
-    return [];
-    //return ethers.listAccounts();
-    // return (this.get('web3Provided') && this.get('web3').eth.accounts) || [];
-  }.property('web3Provided', 'web3'),
-
-  registryContract: computed('web3', function() {
-    let networkId = this.get('web3').chainId;
-    let registry = new ethers.Contract(addresses['Registry'][networkId], abis['Registry'], this.get('web3'));
+  registryContract: computed('ethProvider', function() {
+    let networkId = this.get('ethProvider').chainId;
+    let registry = new ethers.Contract(addresses['Registry'][networkId], abis['Registry'], this.get('ethProvider'));
     return registry;
   }),
 
-  contributorsContract: computed('web3', function() {
+  contributorsContract: computed('ethProvider', function() {
     return this.contractFor('Contributors');
   }),
 
-  kreditsContract: computed('web3', function() {
+  kreditsContract: computed('ethProvider', function() {
     return this.contractFor('Operator');
   }),
 
-  tokenContract: computed('web3', function() {
+  tokenContract: computed('ethProvider', function() {
     return this.contractFor('Token');
   }),
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ export default Service.extend({
     return this.get('registryContract').functions.getProxyFor(name)
       .then((address) => {
         debug('[kredits] get contract', name, address);
-        return new ethers.Contract(address, abis[name], this.get('web3').getSigner());
+        return new ethers.Contract(address, abis[name], this.get('ethProvider').getSigner());
       });
   },
 
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ export default Service.extend({
       .then(profileHash => {
         contributor.setProperties({
           profileHash: profileHash,
-          kredits: 0,
+          balance: 0,
           isCurrentUser: this.get('currentUserAccounts').includes(contributor.address)
         });