diff --git a/js/src/redux/providers/chainMiddleware.js b/js/src/redux/providers/chainMiddleware.js
index 2df40ed86..398e604be 100644
--- a/js/src/redux/providers/chainMiddleware.js
+++ b/js/src/redux/providers/chainMiddleware.js
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 // along with Parity.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-import BalancesProvider from './balances';
-import { showSnackbar } from './snackbarActions';
 import { DEFAULT_NETCHAIN } from './statusReducer';
 
 export default class ChainMiddleware {
@@ -24,20 +22,34 @@ export default class ChainMiddleware {
       if (action.type === 'statusCollection') {
         const { collection } = action;
 
-        if (collection && collection.netChain) {
-          const newChain = collection.netChain;
+        if (collection) {
           const { nodeStatus } = store.getState();
+          const { netChain, nodeKind } = nodeStatus;
+          const newChain = collection.netChain;
+          const newNodeKind = collection.nodeKind;
+          let reloadChain = false;
+          let reloadType = false;
 
-          if (newChain !== nodeStatus.netChain && nodeStatus.netChain !== DEFAULT_NETCHAIN) {
-            store.dispatch(showSnackbar(`Switched to ${newChain}. The UI will reload now...`));
+          // force reload when chain has changed and is not initial value
+          if (newChain) {
+            const hasChainChanged = newChain !== netChain;
+            const isInitialChain = netChain === DEFAULT_NETCHAIN;
+
+            reloadChain = !isInitialChain && hasChainChanged;
+          }
+
+          // force reload when nodeKind (availability or capability) has changed
+          if (newNodeKind && nodeKind) {
+            const hasAvailabilityChanged = nodeKind.availability !== newNodeKind.availability;
+            const hasCapabilityChanged = nodeKind.capability !== newNodeKind.capability;
+
+            reloadType = hasAvailabilityChanged || hasCapabilityChanged;
+          }
+
+          if (reloadChain || reloadType) {
             setTimeout(() => {
               window.location.reload();
             }, 0);
-
-            // Fetch the new balances without notifying the user of any change
-            BalancesProvider.get(store).fetchAllBalances({
-              changedNetwork: true
-            });
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/js/src/redux/providers/chainMiddleware.spec.js b/js/src/redux/providers/chainMiddleware.spec.js
index 50a25caf6..837031c29 100644
--- a/js/src/redux/providers/chainMiddleware.spec.js
+++ b/js/src/redux/providers/chainMiddleware.spec.js
@@ -24,11 +24,22 @@ import { createWsApi } from '~/../test/e2e/ethapi';
 let middleware;
 let next;
 let store;
+let clock;
 
 const api = createWsApi();
 
 Contracts.create(api);
 
+function stubGlobals () {
+  clock = sinon.useFakeTimers();
+  sinon.spy(window.location, 'reload');
+}
+
+function restoreGlobals () {
+  window.location.reload.restore();
+  clock.restore();
+}
+
 function createMiddleware (collection = {}) {
   middleware = new ChainMiddleware().toMiddleware();
   next = sinon.stub();
@@ -46,10 +57,22 @@ function createMiddleware (collection = {}) {
 }
 
 function callMiddleware (action) {
-  return middleware(store)(next)(action);
+  const result = middleware(store)(next)(action);
+
+  clock.tick(100);
+
+  return result;
 }
 
 describe('reduxs/providers/ChainMiddleware', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    stubGlobals();
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    restoreGlobals();
+  });
+
   describe('next action', () => {
     beforeEach(() => {
       createMiddleware();
@@ -69,25 +92,25 @@ describe('reduxs/providers/ChainMiddleware', () => {
   });
 
   describe('chain switching', () => {
-    it('does not dispatch when moving from the initial/unknown chain', () => {
+    it('does not reload when moving from the initial/unknown chain', () => {
       createMiddleware();
       callMiddleware({ type: 'statusCollection', collection: { netChain: 'homestead' } });
 
-      expect(store.dispatch).not.to.have.been.called;
+      expect(window.location.reload).not.to.have.been.called;
     });
 
-    it('does not dispatch when moving to the same chain', () => {
+    it('does not reload when moving to the same chain', () => {
       createMiddleware({ netChain: 'homestead' });
       callMiddleware({ type: 'statusCollection', collection: { netChain: 'homestead' } });
 
-      expect(store.dispatch).not.to.have.been.called;
+      expect(window.location.reload).not.to.have.been.called;
     });
 
-    it('does dispatch when moving between chains', () => {
+    it('does reload when moving between chains', () => {
       createMiddleware({ netChain: 'homestead' });
       callMiddleware({ type: 'statusCollection', collection: { netChain: 'ropsten' } });
 
-      expect(store.dispatch).to.have.been.called;
+      expect(window.location.reload).to.have.been.called;
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/js/src/redux/providers/status.js b/js/src/redux/providers/status.js
index 0fa354d1a..19bec2c0a 100644
--- a/js/src/redux/providers/status.js
+++ b/js/src/redux/providers/status.js
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ export default class Status {
   }
 
   _pollTraceMode = () => {
-    return this._api.trace.block()
+    return this._api.trace
+      .block()
       .then(blockTraces => {
         // Assumes not in Trace Mode if no transactions
         // in latest block...
@@ -168,14 +169,12 @@ export default class Status {
   getApiStatus = () => {
     const { isConnected, isConnecting, needsToken, secureToken } = this._api;
 
-    const apiStatus = {
+    return {
       isConnected,
       isConnecting,
       needsToken,
       secureToken
     };
-
-    return apiStatus;
   }
 
   _pollStatus = () => {
@@ -194,7 +193,10 @@ export default class Status {
       return Promise.resolve();
     }
 
-    const statusPromises = [ this._api.eth.syncing(), this._api.parity.netPeers() ];
+    const statusPromises = [
+      this._api.eth.syncing(),
+      this._api.parity.netPeers()
+    ];
 
     return Promise
       .all(statusPromises)
@@ -225,7 +227,10 @@ export default class Status {
       return Promise.resolve();
     }
 
-    const nextTimeout = (timeout = 30000) => {
+    const { nodeKindFull } = this._store.getState().nodeStatus;
+    const defaultTimeout = (nodeKindFull === false ? 240 : 30) * 1000;
+
+    const nextTimeout = (timeout = defaultTimeout) => {
       if (this._timeoutIds.longStatus) {
         clearTimeout(this._timeoutIds.longStatus);
       }
@@ -233,24 +238,34 @@ export default class Status {
       this._timeoutIds.longStatus = setTimeout(() => this._pollLongStatus(), timeout);
     };
 
+    const statusPromises = [
+      this._api.parity.nodeKind(),
+      this._api.parity.netPeers(),
+      this._api.web3.clientVersion(),
+      this._api.net.version(),
+      this._api.parity.netChain()
+    ];
+
+    if (nodeKindFull) {
+      statusPromises.push(this._upgradeStore.checkUpgrade());
+    }
+
     return Promise
-      .all([
-        this._api.parity.netPeers(),
-        this._api.web3.clientVersion(),
-        this._api.net.version(),
-        this._api.parity.netChain(),
-        this._upgradeStore.checkUpgrade()
-      ])
-      .then(([
-        netPeers, clientVersion, netVersion, netChain, upgradeStatus
-      ]) => {
+      .all(statusPromises)
+      .then(([nodeKind, netPeers, clientVersion, netVersion, netChain]) => {
         const isTest = [
           '2', // morden
           '3', // ropsten
           '42' // kovan
         ].includes(netVersion);
 
+        const nodeKindFull = nodeKind &&
+          nodeKind.availability === 'personal' &&
+          nodeKind.capability === 'full';
+
         const longStatus = {
+          nodeKind,
+          nodeKindFull,
           netPeers,
           clientVersion,
           netChain,
diff --git a/js/src/redux/providers/statusReducer.js b/js/src/redux/providers/statusReducer.js
index 6f509735e..12fe9654d 100644
--- a/js/src/redux/providers/statusReducer.js
+++ b/js/src/redux/providers/statusReducer.js
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ const initialState = {
     peers: []
   },
   netVersion: '0',
+  nodeKind: null,
+  nodeKindFull: null,
   syncing: true,
   isConnected: false,
   isConnecting: false,