diff --git a/jmclient/jmclient/electruminterface.py b/jmclient/jmclient/electruminterface.py
index fa5b4db..622fbee 100644
--- a/jmclient/jmclient/electruminterface.py
+++ b/jmclient/jmclient/electruminterface.py
@@ -36,7 +36,13 @@ class TxElectrumClientProtocol(LineReceiver):
     def connectionMade(self):
         log.debug('connection to Electrum succesful')
         self.msg_id = 0
-        self.factory.bci.sync_addresses(self.factory.bci.wallet)
+        if self.factory.bci.wallet:
+            #Use connectionMade as a trigger to start wallet sync,
+            #if the reactor start happened after the call to wallet sync
+            #(in Qt, the reactor starts before wallet sync, so we make
+            #this call manually instead).
+            self.factory.bci.sync_addresses(self.factory.bci.wallet)
+        #these server calls must always be done to keep the connection open
         self.start_ping()
         self.call_server_method('blockchain.numblocks.subscribe')
 
@@ -174,6 +180,7 @@ class ElectrumInterface(BlockchainInterface):
         #Format: {"txid": (loop, unconfirmed true/false, confirmed true/false,
         #spent true/false), ..}
         self.tx_watcher_loops = {}
+        self.wallet = None
         self.wallet_synced = False
 
     def start_electrum_proto(self, electrum_server=None):
@@ -205,7 +212,12 @@ class ElectrumInterface(BlockchainInterface):
         #used to hold open server conn
         self.electrum_conn.call_server_method('blockchain.numblocks.subscribe')
 
-    def sync_wallet(self, wallet, restart_cb=False):
+    def sync_wallet(self, wallet, fast=False, restart_cb=False):
+        """This triggers the start of syncing, wiping temporary state
+        and starting the reactor for wallet-tool runs. The 'fast'
+        and 'restart_cb' parameters are ignored and included only
+        for compatibility; they are both only used by Core.
+        """
         self.wallet = wallet
         #wipe the temporary cache of address histories
         self.temp_addr_history = {}
diff --git a/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py b/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
index 45754e5..e47b166 100644
--- a/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
+++ b/scripts/joinmarket-qt.py
@@ -1381,11 +1381,30 @@ class JMMainWindow(QMainWindow):
     def syncWalletUpdate(self, fast, restart_cb=None):
         if restart_cb:
             fast=False
+        #Special syncing condition for Electrum
+        iselectrum = jm_single().config.get("BLOCKCHAIN",
+                            "blockchain_source") == "electrum-server"
+        if iselectrum:
+            jm_single().bc_interface.synctype = "with-script"
+
         jm_single().bc_interface.sync_wallet(self.wallet, fast=fast,
                                              restart_cb=restart_cb)
-        self.updateWalletInfo()
+
+        if iselectrum:
+            #sync_wallet only initialises, we must manually call its entry
+            #point here (because we can't use connectionMade as a trigger)
+            jm_single().bc_interface.sync_addresses(self.wallet)
+            self.wait_for_sync_loop = task.LoopingCall(self.updateWalletInfo)
+            self.wait_for_sync_loop.start(0.2)
+        else:
+            self.updateWalletInfo()
 
     def updateWalletInfo(self):
+        if jm_single().config.get("BLOCKCHAIN",
+                            "blockchain_source") == "electrum-server":
+            if not jm_single().bc_interface.wallet_synced:
+                return
+            self.wait_for_sync_loop.stop()
         t = self.centralWidget().widget(0)
         if not self.wallet:  #failure to sync in constructor means object is not created
             newstmsg = "Unable to sync wallet - see error in console."