diff --git a/src/vector/app.tsx b/src/vector/app.tsx
index 11534d4d64..68dd8229a2 100644
--- a/src/vector/app.tsx
+++ b/src/vector/app.tsx
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ function onTokenLoginCompleted(): void {
     window.history.replaceState(null, "", url.href);
 }
 
-export async function loadApp(fragParams: {}): Promise<ReactElement> {
+export async function loadApp(fragParams: {}, matrixChatRef: React.Ref<MatrixChat>): Promise<ReactElement> {
     initRouting();
     const platform = PlatformPeg.get();
 
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ export async function loadApp(fragParams: {}): Promise<ReactElement> {
     return (
         <wrapperOpts.Wrapper>
             <MatrixChat
+                ref={matrixChatRef}
                 onNewScreen={onNewScreen}
                 config={config}
                 realQueryParams={params}
diff --git a/src/vector/init.tsx b/src/vector/init.tsx
index 64cee8df79..0b0e681c59 100644
--- a/src/vector/init.tsx
+++ b/src/vector/init.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import SdkConfig from "matrix-react-sdk/src/SdkConfig";
 import { setTheme } from "matrix-react-sdk/src/theme";
 import { logger } from "matrix-js-sdk/src/logger";
 import { ModuleRunner } from "matrix-react-sdk/src/modules/ModuleRunner";
+import MatrixChat from "matrix-react-sdk/src/components/structures/MatrixChat";
 
 import ElectronPlatform from "./platform/ElectronPlatform";
 import PWAPlatform from "./platform/PWAPlatform";
@@ -147,7 +148,10 @@ export async function loadApp(fragParams: {}): Promise<void> {
         /* webpackPreload: true */
         "./app"
     );
-    window.matrixChat = ReactDOM.render(await module.loadApp(fragParams), document.getElementById("matrixchat"));
+    function setWindowMatrixChat(matrixChat: MatrixChat): void {
+        window.matrixChat = matrixChat;
+    }
+    ReactDOM.render(await module.loadApp(fragParams, setWindowMatrixChat), document.getElementById("matrixchat"));
 }
 
 export async function showError(title: string, messages?: string[]): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/test/app-tests/server-config-test.ts b/test/app-tests/server-config-test.ts
index b469daf28d..e18b766db3 100644
--- a/test/app-tests/server-config-test.ts
+++ b/test/app-tests/server-config-test.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ describe("Loading server config", function () {
                 },
             },
         });
-        await loadApp({});
+        await loadApp({}, null);
         expect((SdkConfig.get("validated_server_config") || {}).hsUrl).toBe("https://matrix-client.matrix.org");
     });
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ describe("Loading server config", function () {
         SdkConfig.put({
             default_server_name: "matrix.org",
         });
-        await loadApp({});
+        await loadApp({}, null);
         expect((SdkConfig.get("validated_server_config") || {}).hsUrl).toBe("https://matrix-client.matrix.org");
     });
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ describe("Loading server config", function () {
                     },
                 },
             });
-            await loadApp({});
+            await loadApp({}, null);
             expect((SdkConfig.get("validated_server_config") || {}).hsUrl).toBe("https://matrix-client.matrix.org");
         },
     );
diff --git a/test/app-tests/wrapper-test.tsx b/test/app-tests/wrapper-test.tsx
index 6f72dbb606..0ba1d3f080 100644
--- a/test/app-tests/wrapper-test.tsx
+++ b/test/app-tests/wrapper-test.tsx
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import fetchMock from "fetch-mock-jest";
 import { render, RenderResult, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
 import { ModuleRunner } from "matrix-react-sdk/src/modules/ModuleRunner";
 import { WrapperLifecycle, WrapperOpts } from "@matrix-org/react-sdk-module-api/lib/lifecycles/WrapperLifecycle";
+import MatrixChat from "matrix-react-sdk/src/components/structures/MatrixChat";
 
 import WebPlatform from "../../src/vector/platform/WebPlatform";
 import { loadApp } from "../../src/vector/app";
@@ -68,7 +69,8 @@ describe("Wrapper", () => {
             }
         });
 
-        const matrixChatResult: RenderResult = render(await loadApp({}));
+        const ref = React.createRef<MatrixChat>();
+        const matrixChatResult: RenderResult = render(await loadApp({}, ref));
 
         // at this point, we're trying to do a guest registration;
         // we expect a spinner
@@ -83,5 +85,8 @@ describe("Wrapper", () => {
 
         expect(header.nextSibling).toBe(matrixChat);
         expect(matrixChat.nextSibling).toBe(footer);
+
+        // Should still hold a reference to the MatrixChat component
+        expect(ref.current).toBeInstanceOf(MatrixChat);
     });
 });