diff --git a/js/background.js b/js/background.js
index 1e5c0b5b5..f485fd3ee 100644
--- a/js/background.js
+++ b/js/background.js
@@ -178,6 +178,10 @@
     };
 
     const startSpellCheck = () => {
+      if (!window.enableSpellCheck || !window.disableSpellCheck) {
+        return;
+      }
+
       if (window.Events.getSpellCheck()) {
         window.enableSpellCheck();
       } else {