diff --git a/src/components/connection-modal/connection-modal.jsx b/src/components/connection-modal/connection-modal.jsx
index 1d982402b..a22cce5a1 100644
--- a/src/components/connection-modal/connection-modal.jsx
+++ b/src/components/connection-modal/connection-modal.jsx
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const ConnectionModalComponent = props => (
 );
 
 ConnectionModalComponent.propTypes = {
-    connectingMessage: PropTypes.node,
+    connectingMessage: PropTypes.node.isRequired,
     connectionSmallIconURL: PropTypes.string,
     connectionTipIconURL: PropTypes.string,
     name: PropTypes.node,
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ ConnectionModalComponent.propTypes = {
     useAutoScan: PropTypes.bool.isRequired
 };
 
+ConnectionModalComponent.defaultProps = {
+    connectingMessage: 'Connecting'
+};
+
 export {
     ConnectionModalComponent as default,
     PHASES
diff --git a/src/containers/connection-modal.jsx b/src/containers/connection-modal.jsx
index b29a4d35a..aefbb7bb5 100644
--- a/src/containers/connection-modal.jsx
+++ b/src/containers/connection-modal.jsx
@@ -107,15 +107,15 @@ class ConnectionModal extends React.Component {
     render () {
         return (
             <ConnectionModalComponent
-                connectingMessage={this.state.extension.connectingMessage}
-                connectionIconURL={this.state.extension.connectionIconURL}
-                connectionSmallIconURL={this.state.extension.connectionSmallIconURL}
-                connectionTipIconURL={this.state.extension.connectionTipIconURL}
+                connectingMessage={this.state.extension && this.state.extension.connectingMessage}
+                connectionIconURL={this.state.extension && this.state.extension.connectionIconURL}
+                connectionSmallIconURL={this.state.extension && this.state.extension.connectionSmallIconURL}
+                connectionTipIconURL={this.state.extension && this.state.extension.connectionTipIconURL}
                 extensionId={this.props.extensionId}
-                name={this.state.extension.name}
+                name={this.state.extension && this.state.extension.name}
                 phase={this.state.phase}
                 title={this.props.extensionId}
-                useAutoScan={this.state.extension.useAutoScan}
+                useAutoScan={this.state.extension && this.state.extension.useAutoScan}
                 vm={this.props.vm}
                 onCancel={this.handleCancel}
                 onConnected={this.handleConnected}