diff --git a/ui/app/actions.js b/ui/app/actions.js
index 13a767343..69fc46ca4 100644
--- a/ui/app/actions.js
+++ b/ui/app/actions.js
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ var actions = {
 
   GO_HOME: 'GO_HOME',
   goHome: goHome,
+  // modal state
+  MODAL_OPEN: 'UI_MODAL_OPEN',
+  MODAL_CLOSE: 'UI_MODAL_CLOSE',
+  showModal: showModal,
+  hideModal: hideModal,
   // sidebar state
   SIDEBAR_OPEN: 'UI_SIDEBAR_OPEN',
   SIDEBAR_CLOSE: 'UI_SIDEBAR_CLOSE',
@@ -768,6 +773,18 @@ function useEtherscanProvider () {
   }
 }
 
+function showModal () {
+  return {
+    type: actions.MODAL_OPEN,
+  }
+}
+
+function hideModal () {
+  return {
+    type: actions.MODAL_CLOSE,
+  }
+}
+
 function showSidebar () {
   return {
     type: actions.SIDEBAR_OPEN,
diff --git a/ui/app/reducers/app.js b/ui/app/reducers/app.js
index bf1de4577..ac8cbf158 100644
--- a/ui/app/reducers/app.js
+++ b/ui/app/reducers/app.js
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ function reduceApp (state, action) {
   var appState = extend({
     shouldClose: false,
     menuOpen: false,
+    modalOpen: false,
     sidebarOpen: false,
     currentView: seedWords ? seedConfView : defaultView,
     accountDetail: {
@@ -58,6 +59,17 @@ function reduceApp (state, action) {
         sidebarOpen: false,
       })
 
+    // modal methods:
+    case actions.MODAL_OPEN:
+      return extend(appState, {
+        modalOpen: true,
+      })
+
+    case actions.MODAL_CLOSE:
+      return extend(appState, {
+        modalOpen: false,
+      })
+
     // transition methods
 
     case actions.TRANSITION_FORWARD: