diff --git a/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/embedded-brave.js b/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/embedded-brave.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..31e9cde0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/embedded-brave.js
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+'use strict'
+/* eslint-env browser, webextensions */
+
+// Polyfills required by embedded HTTP server
+const uptimeStart = Date.now()
+process.uptime = () => Math.floor((Date.now() - uptimeStart) / 1000)
+process.hrtime = require('browser-process-hrtime')
+
+const defaultsDeep = require('@nodeutils/defaults-deep')
+const Ipfs = require('ipfs')
+const HttpApi = require('ipfs/src/http')
+
+const { optionDefaults } = require('../options')
+
+// js-ipfs with embedded hapi HTTP server
+let node = null
+let nodeHttpApi = null
+
+// additional servers for smoke-tests
+// let httpServer = null
+// let hapiServer = null
+
+// Enable some debug output from js-ipfs
+// (borrowed from https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/ipfs-companion/pull/557)
+// to  include everything (mplex, libp2p, mss): localStorage.debug = '*'
+localStorage.debug = 'jsipfs*,ipfs*,-*:mfs*,-*:ipns*,-ipfs:preload*'
+
+exports.init = function init (opts) {
+  /*
+  // TEST RAW require('http') SERVER
+  if (!httpServer) {
+    httpServer = startRawHttpServer(9091)
+  }
+  // TEST require('hapi') HTTP SERVER (same as in js-ipfs)
+  if (!hapiServer) {
+    hapiServer = startRawHapiServer(9092)
+  }
+  */
+  console.log('[ipfs-companion] Embedded ipfs init')
+
+  const defaultOpts = optionDefaults.ipfsNodeConfig
+  const userOpts = JSON.parse(opts.ipfsNodeConfig)
+  const ipfsOpts = defaultsDeep(defaultOpts, userOpts, { start: false })
+
+  node = new Ipfs(ipfsOpts)
+
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    node.once('error', (error) => {
+      console.error('[ipfs-companion] Something went terribly wrong during startup of js-ipfs!', error)
+      reject(error)
+    })
+    node.once('ready', async () => {
+      node.on('start', async () => {
+        // HttpApi is off in browser context and needs to be started separately
+        try {
+          const httpServers = new HttpApi(node, ipfsOpts)
+          nodeHttpApi = await httpServers.start()
+          resolve(node)
+        } catch (err) {
+          reject(err)
+        }
+      })
+      node.on('error', error => {
+        console.error('[ipfs-companion] Something went terribly wrong in embedded js-ipfs!', error)
+      })
+      try {
+        await node.start()
+      } catch (err) {
+        reject(err)
+      }
+    })
+  })
+}
+
+exports.destroy = async function () {
+  console.log('[ipfs-companion] Embedded ipfs destroy')
+
+  /*
+  if (httpServer) {
+    httpServer.close()
+    httpServer = null
+  }
+  if (hapiServer) {
+    try {
+      await hapiServer.stop({ timeout: 1000 })
+    } catch (err) {
+      if (err) {
+        console.error(`[ipfs-companion]  failed to stop hapi`, err)
+      } else {
+        console.log('[ipfs-companion] hapi server stopped')
+      }
+    }
+    hapiServer = null
+  }
+  */
+
+  if (nodeHttpApi) {
+    try {
+      await nodeHttpApi.stop()
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error(`[ipfs-companion]  failed to stop HttpApi`, err)
+    }
+    nodeHttpApi = null
+  }
+  if (node) {
+    await node.stop()
+    node = null
+  }
+}
+
+/*
+// Quick smoke-test to confirm require('http') works for MVP
+function startRawHttpServer (port) {
+  const http = require('http') // courtesy of chrome-net
+  const httpServer = http.createServer(function (req, res) {
+    res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' })
+    res.end('Hello from ipfs-companion exposing HTTP via chrome.sockets in Brave :-)\n')
+  })
+  httpServer.listen(port, '127.0.0.1')
+  console.log(`[ipfs-companion] require('http') HTTP server on http://127.0.0.1:${port}`)
+  return httpServer
+}
+
+function startRawHapiServer (port) {
+  let options = {
+    host: '127.0.0.1',
+    port,
+    debug: {
+      log: ['*'],
+      request: ['*']
+    }
+  }
+  const initHapi = async () => {
+    // hapi v18 (js-ipfs >=v0.35.0-pre.0)
+    const Hapi = require('hapi') // courtesy of js-ipfs
+    const hapiServer = new Hapi.Server(options)
+    await hapiServer.route({
+      method: 'GET',
+      path: '/',
+      handler: (request, h) => {
+        console.log('[ipfs-companion] hapiServer processing request', request)
+        return 'Hello from ipfs-companion+Hapi.js exposing HTTP via chrome.sockets in Brave :-)'
+      }
+    })
+    await hapiServer.start()
+    console.log(`[ipfs-companion] require('hapi') HTTP server running at: ${hapiServer.info.uri}`)
+  }
+  initHapi()
+  return hapiServer
+}
+*/
diff --git a/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/embedded.js b/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/embedded.js
index e2697d85d..d49ef758a 100644
--- a/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/embedded.js
+++ b/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/embedded.js
@@ -1,147 +1,45 @@
 'use strict'
-/* eslint-env browser, webextensions */
-
-// Required by HTTP server
-process.hrtime = require('browser-process-hrtime')
-const uptimeStart = Date.now()
-process.uptime = () => Math.floor((Date.now() - uptimeStart) / 1000)
 
+const defaultsDeep = require('@nodeutils/defaults-deep')
 const Ipfs = require('ipfs')
-const HttpApi = require('ipfs/src/http')
-
 const { optionDefaults } = require('../options')
 
-// js-ipfs with embedded hapi HTTP server
 let node = null
-let nodeHttpApi = null
-
-// additional servers for smoke-tests
-let httpServer = null
-let hapiServer = null
-
-// Enable some debug output from js-ipfs
-// (borrowed from https://github.com/ipfs-shipyard/ipfs-companion/pull/557)
-// to  include everything (mplex, libp2p, mss): localStorage.debug = '*'
-localStorage.debug = 'jsipfs*,ipfs*,-*:mfs*,-*:ipns*,-ipfs:preload*'
-
-// Quick smoke-test to confirm require('http') works for MVP
-function startRawHttpServer (port) {
-  const http = require('http') // courtesy of chrome-net
-  const httpServer = http.createServer(function (req, res) {
-    res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' })
-    res.end('Hello from ipfs-companion exposing HTTP via chrome.sockets in Brave :-)\n')
-  })
-  httpServer.listen(port, '127.0.0.1')
-  console.log(`[ipfs-companion] require('http') HTTP server on http://127.0.0.1:${port}`)
-  return httpServer
-}
-
-function startRawHapiServer (port) {
-  let options = {
-    host: '127.0.0.1',
-    port,
-    debug: {
-      log: ['*'],
-      request: ['*']
-    }
-  }
-  const initHapi = async () => {
-    // hapi v18 (js-ipfs >=v0.35.0-pre.0)
-    const Hapi = require('hapi') // courtesy of js-ipfs
-    const hapiServer = new Hapi.Server(options)
-    await hapiServer.route({
-      method: 'GET',
-      path: '/',
-      handler: (request, h) => {
-        console.log('[ipfs-companion] hapiServer processing request', request)
-        return 'Hello from ipfs-companion+Hapi.js exposing HTTP via chrome.sockets in Brave :-)'
-      }
-    })
-    await hapiServer.start()
-    console.log(`[ipfs-companion] require('hapi') HTTP server running at: ${hapiServer.info.uri}`)
-  }
-  initHapi()
-  return hapiServer
-}
 
 exports.init = function init (opts) {
-  // BRAVE TESTS FIRST
-  // TODO: remove after experiments are done
-  // =======================================
-  // [x] start raw http server (http.createServer)
-  // [x] start raw Hapi server (Hapi.Server)
-  //     [x] return response
-  // [ ] start js-ipfs with Gateway exposed by embedded Hapi server
-  //     - [x] disabling DHT in libp2p solved `TypeError: this._dht.on is not a function`,
-  //     - [x] API port starts and returns valid response
-  //     - [ ] Gateway port starts, but returns invalid response for things different than QmUNLLsPACCz1vLxQVkXqqLX5R1X345qqfHbsf67hvA3Nn
-  // =======================================
-  // TEST RAW require('http') SERVER
-  if (!httpServer) {
-    httpServer = startRawHttpServer(9091)
-  }
-  // =======================================
-  // TEST require('hapi') HTTP SERVER (same as in js-ipfs)
-  if (!hapiServer) {
-    hapiServer = startRawHapiServer(9092)
-  }
-  // =======================================
-  // Resume regular startup
   console.log('[ipfs-companion] Embedded ipfs init')
 
-  // TODO: replace with @nodeutils/defaults-deep
-  const ipfsOpts = Object.assign(JSON.parse(opts.ipfsNodeConfig || optionDefaults.ipfsNodeConfig), { start: false })
+  const defaultOpts = optionDefaults.ipfsNodeConfig
+  const userOpts = JSON.parse(opts.ipfsNodeConfig)
+  const ipfsOpts = defaultsDeep(defaultOpts, userOpts, { start: false })
+
   node = new Ipfs(ipfsOpts)
 
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    node.on('start', async () => {
-      // HttpApi is off in browser context and needs to be started separately
-      const httpServers = new HttpApi(node, ipfsOpts)
-      nodeHttpApi = await httpServers.start()
-      return resolve(node)
-    })
     node.once('error', (error) => {
       console.error('[ipfs-companion] Something went terribly wrong during startup of js-ipfs!', error)
       reject(error)
     })
-    node.once('ready', () => {
+    node.once('ready', async () => {
+      node.on('start', () => {
+        resolve(node)
+      })
       node.on('error', error => {
         console.error('[ipfs-companion] Something went terribly wrong in embedded js-ipfs!', error)
       })
-      node.start()
+      try {
+        await node.start()
+      } catch (err) {
+        reject(err)
+      }
     })
   })
 }
 
 exports.destroy = async function () {
   console.log('[ipfs-companion] Embedded ipfs destroy')
+  if (!node) return
 
-  if (httpServer) {
-    httpServer.close()
-    httpServer = null
-  }
-  if (hapiServer) {
-    try {
-      await hapiServer.stop({ timeout: 1000 })
-    } catch (err) {
-      if (err) {
-        console.error(`[ipfs-companion]  failed to stop hapi`, err)
-      } else {
-        console.log('[ipfs-companion] hapi server stopped')
-      }
-    }
-    hapiServer = null
-  }
-  if (nodeHttpApi) {
-    try {
-      await nodeHttpApi.stop()
-    } catch (err) {
-      console.error(`[ipfs-companion]  failed to stop HttpApi`, err)
-    }
-    nodeHttpApi = null
-  }
-  if (node) {
-    await node.stop()
-    node = null
-  }
+  await node.stop()
+  node = null
 }
diff --git a/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/index.js b/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/index.js
index b6a333382..bf4cfb139 100644
--- a/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/index.js
+++ b/add-on/src/lib/ipfs-client/index.js
@@ -1,18 +1,35 @@
 'use strict'
 
+/* eslint-env browser, webextensions */
+
 const browser = require('webextension-polyfill')
 const external = require('./external')
-const embedded = require('./embedded')
+const embeddedJs = require('./embedded')
+const embeddedJsBrave = require('./embedded-brave')
 
 let client
 
+// TODO: make generic
+const hasChromeSocketsForTcp = typeof chrome === 'object' &&
+  typeof chrome.runtime === 'object' &&
+  typeof chrome.runtime.id === 'string' &&
+  typeof chrome.sockets === 'object' &&
+  typeof chrome.sockets.tcpServer === 'object' &&
+  typeof chrome.sockets === 'object' &&
+  typeof chrome.sockets.tcp === 'object'
+
 async function initIpfsClient (opts) {
   await destroyIpfsClient()
 
-  if (opts.ipfsNodeType === 'embedded') {
-    client = embedded
-  } else {
-    client = external
+  switch (opts.ipfsNodeType) {
+    case 'embedded':
+      client = hasChromeSocketsForTcp ? embeddedJsBrave : embeddedJs // TODO: make generic
+      break
+    case 'external':
+      client = external
+      break
+    default:
+      throw new Error(`Unsupported ipfsNodeType: ${opts.ipfsNodeType}`)
   }
 
   const instance = await client.init(opts)
diff --git a/add-on/src/lib/runtime-checks.js b/add-on/src/lib/runtime-checks.js
index e39ef022a..f164b2b07 100644
--- a/add-on/src/lib/runtime-checks.js
+++ b/add-on/src/lib/runtime-checks.js
@@ -15,6 +15,16 @@ function getPlatformInfo (browser) {
   return Promise.resolve()
 }
 
+function hasChromeSocketsForTcp () {
+  return typeof chrome === 'object' &&
+    typeof chrome.runtime === 'object' &&
+    typeof chrome.runtime.id === 'string' &&
+    typeof chrome.sockets === 'object' &&
+    typeof chrome.sockets.tcpServer === 'object' &&
+    typeof chrome.sockets === 'object' &&
+    typeof chrome.sockets.tcp === 'object'
+}
+
 async function createRuntimeChecks (browser) {
   // browser
   const browserInfo = await getBrowserInfo(browser)
@@ -24,11 +34,12 @@ async function createRuntimeChecks (browser) {
   // platform
   const platformInfo = await getPlatformInfo(browser)
   const runtimeIsAndroid = platformInfo ? platformInfo.os === 'android' : false
-  //
+  const runtimeHasSocketsForTcp = hasChromeSocketsForTcp()
   return Object.freeze({
     browser,
     isFirefox: runtimeIsFirefox,
     isAndroid: runtimeIsAndroid,
+    hasChromeSocketsForTcp: runtimeHasSocketsForTcp,
     hasNativeProtocolHandler: runtimeHasNativeProtocol
   })
 }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4fe76ff7f..663949d3c 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -107,10 +107,11 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@material/switch": "1.0.1",
+    "@nodeutils/defaults-deep": "1.1.0",
     "browser-process-hrtime": "1.0.0",
     "choo": "6.13.1",
     "chrome-dgram": "3.0.1",
-    "chrome-net": "3.3.1",
+    "chrome-net": "https://github.com/lidel/chrome-net/tarball/838ffde4a33721888f74783821e0486dfcc88797/chrome-net.tar.gz",
     "doc-sniff": "1.0.1",
     "drag-and-drop-files": "0.0.1",
     "file-type": "10.9.0",
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index d357d076c..f2580aa68 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@
   dependencies:
     "@material/feature-targeting" "^0.44.1"
 
-"@nodeutils/defaults-deep@^1.1.0":
+"@nodeutils/defaults-deep@1.1.0", "@nodeutils/defaults-deep@^1.1.0":
   version "1.1.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@nodeutils/defaults-deep/-/defaults-deep-1.1.0.tgz#bb1124dc8d7ce0bc5da1d668ace58149258ef20b"
   integrity sha1-uxEk3I184LxdodZorOWBSSWO8gs=
@@ -2639,10 +2639,9 @@ chrome-dgram@3.0.1:
     inherits "^2.0.1"
     run-series "^1.1.2"
 
-chrome-net@3.3.1:
+"chrome-net@https://github.com/lidel/chrome-net/tarball/838ffde4a33721888f74783821e0486dfcc88797/chrome-net.tar.gz":
   version "3.3.1"
-  resolved "https://registry.npmjs.org/chrome-net/-/chrome-net-3.3.1.tgz#b4041edb5b264222e7e3c96101344b2332c86782"
-  integrity sha512-erjHzaLGOOn1WTDdVtEYxeltKLhWpL3TNAv5ODqgseOCWMmV0GueWUR3by3LH9gr3BKPJRzyqPROJpaOCXz22w==
+  resolved "https://github.com/lidel/chrome-net/tarball/838ffde4a33721888f74783821e0486dfcc88797/chrome-net.tar.gz#07f9210134741fa40472ef2f3bdf7b325cc8169c"
   dependencies:
     inherits "^2.0.1"