diff --git a/app/scripts/inpage.js b/app/scripts/inpage.js
index e9e64bb68..672502286 100644
--- a/app/scripts/inpage.js
+++ b/app/scripts/inpage.js
@@ -79,7 +79,12 @@ web3.setProvider = function () {
 }
 log.debug('MetaMask - injected web3')
 
-window.ethereum._web3Ref = web3.eth
+Object.defineProperty(window.ethereum, '_web3Ref', {
+  enumerable: false,
+  writable: true,
+  configurable: true,
+  value: web3.eth,
+})
 
 // setup dapp auto reload AND proxy web3
 setupDappAutoReload(web3, window.ethereum._publicConfigStore)
diff --git a/app/scripts/lib/auto-reload.js b/app/scripts/lib/auto-reload.js
index ceb7e5e3f..ce13ef0ca 100644
--- a/app/scripts/lib/auto-reload.js
+++ b/app/scripts/lib/auto-reload.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ export default function setupDappAutoReload (web3, observable) {
   let lastSeenNetwork
   let hasBeenWarned = false
 
-  global.web3 = new Proxy(web3, {
+  const web3Proxy = new Proxy(web3, {
     get: (_web3, key) => {
       // get the time of use
       lastTimeUsed = Date.now()
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ export default function setupDappAutoReload (web3, observable) {
     },
   })
 
+  Object.defineProperty(global, 'web3', {
+    enumerable: false,
+    writable: true,
+    configurable: true,
+    value: web3Proxy,
+  })
+
   observable.subscribe(function (state) {
     // if the auto refresh on network change is false do not
     // do anything