diff --git a/desktop/app/src/PluginContainer.tsx b/desktop/app/src/PluginContainer.tsx
index 29804037f..296456b10 100644
--- a/desktop/app/src/PluginContainer.tsx
+++ b/desktop/app/src/PluginContainer.tsx
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import {
 import {StaticView, setStaticView} from './reducers/connections';
 import {switchPlugin} from './reducers/pluginManager';
 import React, {PureComponent} from 'react';
-import {connect, ReactReduxContext} from 'react-redux';
+import {connect, ReactReduxContext, ReactReduxContextValue} from 'react-redux';
 import {selectPlugin} from './reducers/connections';
 import {State as Store, MiddlewareAPI} from './reducers/index';
 import {activateMenuItems} from './MenuBar';
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import {reportUsage} from './utils/metrics';
 import {PluginInfo} from './chrome/fb-stubs/PluginInfo';
 import {getActiveClient, getActivePlugin} from './selectors/connections';
 import {isTest} from './utils/isProduction';
+import {AnyAction} from 'redux';
 
 const {Text, Link} = Typography;
 
@@ -116,7 +117,8 @@ type State = {
 };
 
 class PluginContainer extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
-  static contextType = ReactReduxContext;
+  static contextType: React.Context<ReactReduxContextValue<any, AnyAction>> =
+    ReactReduxContext;
 
   constructor(props: Props) {
     super(props);
@@ -249,8 +251,8 @@ class PluginContainer extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
   }
 
   render() {
-    const {activePlugin, pluginKey, target, pendingMessages} = this.props;
-    if (!activePlugin || !target || !pluginKey) {
+    const {activePlugin, pendingMessages} = this.props;
+    if (!activePlugin) {
       return this.renderNoPluginActive();
     }
     if (activePlugin.status !== 'enabled') {
diff --git a/desktop/app/src/utils/pluginUtils.tsx b/desktop/app/src/utils/pluginUtils.tsx
index 4d6212147..7346eb8e6 100644
--- a/desktop/app/src/utils/pluginUtils.tsx
+++ b/desktop/app/src/utils/pluginUtils.tsx
@@ -229,6 +229,15 @@ export function computePluginLists(
         downloadablePlugins.push(plugin);
       }
     }
+  } else {
+    for (const p of plugins.devicePlugins.values()) {
+      unavailablePlugins.push([
+        p.details,
+        `Device plugin '${getPluginTitle(
+          p.details,
+        )}' is not available because no device is currently selected`,
+      ]);
+    }
   }
 
   // process problematic plugins
@@ -251,11 +260,12 @@ export function computePluginLists(
     ]);
   });
 
+  const clientPlugins = Array.from(plugins.clientPlugins.values()).sort(
+    sortPluginsByName,
+  );
+
   // process all client plugins
   if (device && client) {
-    const clientPlugins = Array.from(plugins.clientPlugins.values()).sort(
-      sortPluginsByName,
-    );
     const favoritePlugins = getFavoritePlugins(
       device,
       client,
@@ -284,6 +294,15 @@ export function computePluginLists(
         downloadablePlugins.push(plugin);
       }
     });
+  } else {
+    clientPlugins.forEach((plugin) => {
+      unavailablePlugins.push([
+        plugin.details,
+        `Plugin '${getPluginTitle(
+          plugin.details,
+        )}' is not available because no application is currently selected`,
+      ]);
+    });
   }
   const downloadablePluginSet = new Set<string>(
     downloadablePlugins.map((p) => p.id),