diff --git a/electron_app/src/electron-main.js b/electron_app/src/electron-main.js
index ddc40c2c1a..48a425c917 100644
--- a/electron_app/src/electron-main.js
+++ b/electron_app/src/electron-main.js
@@ -86,8 +86,14 @@ const store = new Store({ name: "electron-config" });
 
 let mainWindow = null;
 global.appQuitting = false;
-global.minimizeToTray = store.get('minimizeToTray', true);
 
+// It's important to call `path.join` so we don't end up with the packaged asar in the final path.
+const iconFile = `riot.${process.platform === 'win32' ? 'ico' : 'png'}`;
+const iconPath = path.join(__dirname, "..", "..", "img", iconFile);
+const trayConfig = {
+    icon_path: iconPath,
+    brand: vectorConfig.brand || 'Riot',
+};
 
 // handle uncaught errors otherwise it displays
 // stack traces in popup dialogs, which is terrible (which
@@ -168,10 +174,16 @@ ipcMain.on('ipcCall', async function(ev, payload) {
             }
             break;
         case 'getMinimizeToTrayEnabled':
-            ret = global.minimizeToTray;
+            ret = tray.hasTray();
             break;
         case 'setMinimizeToTrayEnabled':
-            store.set('minimizeToTray', global.minimizeToTray = args[0]);
+            if (args[0]) {
+                // Create trayIcon icon
+                tray.create(trayConfig);
+            } else {
+                tray.destroy();
+            }
+            store.set('minimizeToTray', args[0]);
             break;
         case 'getAutoHideMenuBarEnabled':
             ret = global.mainWindow.isMenuBarAutoHide();
@@ -330,11 +342,6 @@ app.on('ready', () => {
         console.log('No update_base_url is defined: auto update is disabled');
     }
 
-    // It's important to call `path.join` so we don't end up with the packaged
-    // asar in the final path.
-    const iconFile = `riot.${process.platform === 'win32' ? 'ico' : 'png'}`;
-    const iconPath = path.join(__dirname, "..", "..", "img", iconFile);
-
     // Load the previous window state with fallback to defaults
     const mainWindowState = windowStateKeeper({
         defaultWidth: 1024,
@@ -367,15 +374,8 @@ app.on('ready', () => {
     mainWindow.loadURL('vector://vector/webapp/');
     Menu.setApplicationMenu(vectorMenu);
 
-    // explicitly hide because setApplicationMenu on Linux otherwise shows...
-    // https://github.com/electron/electron/issues/9621
-    mainWindow.hide();
-
     // Create trayIcon icon
-    tray.create({
-        icon_path: iconPath,
-        brand: vectorConfig.brand || 'Riot',
-    });
+    if (store.get('minimizeToTray', true)) tray.create(trayConfig);
 
     mainWindow.once('ready-to-show', () => {
         mainWindowState.manage(mainWindow);
@@ -392,7 +392,8 @@ app.on('ready', () => {
         mainWindow = global.mainWindow = null;
     });
     mainWindow.on('close', (e) => {
-        if (global.minimizeToTray && !global.appQuitting && (tray.hasTray() || process.platform === 'darwin')) {
+        // If we are not quitting and have a tray icon then minimize to tray
+        if (!global.appQuitting && tray.hasTray()) {
             // On Mac, closing the window just hides it
             // (this is generally how single-window Mac apps
             // behave, eg. Mail.app)
diff --git a/electron_app/src/tray.js b/electron_app/src/tray.js
index 61e059723d..04aaa1f179 100644
--- a/electron_app/src/tray.js
+++ b/electron_app/src/tray.js
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ exports.hasTray = function hasTray() {
     return (trayIcon !== null);
 };
 
+exports.destroy = function() {
+    if (trayIcon) {
+        trayIcon.destroy();
+        trayIcon = null;
+    }
+};
+
 exports.create = function(config) {
     // no trays on darwin
     if (process.platform === 'darwin' || trayIcon) return;
diff --git a/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js b/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
index 8b01f86417..dd4df4e63d 100644
--- a/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
+++ b/src/vector/platform/ElectronPlatform.js
@@ -212,7 +212,8 @@ export default class ElectronPlatform extends VectorBasePlatform {
     }
 
     supportsMinimizeToTray(): boolean {
-        return true;
+        // Things other than Mac support tray icons
+        return !navigator.platform.toUpperCase().includes('MAC');
     }
 
     async getMinimizeToTrayEnabled(): boolean {