diff --git a/src/common/cluster-store.ts b/src/common/cluster-store.ts
index 4000684d16..241247f60c 100644
--- a/src/common/cluster-store.ts
+++ b/src/common/cluster-store.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { appEventBus } from "./event-bus";
 import { dumpConfigYaml } from "./kube-helpers";
 import { saveToAppFiles } from "./utils/saveToAppFiles";
 import { KubeConfig } from "@kubernetes/client-node";
-import { handleRequest, requestMain, subscribeToBroadcast, unsubscribeAllFromBroadcast } from "./ipc";
+import { createTypedInvoker, isEmptyArgs, subscribeToBroadcast, unsubscribeAllFromBroadcast } from "./ipc";
 import _ from "lodash";
 import move from "array-move";
 import type { WorkspaceId } from "./workspace-store";
@@ -90,6 +90,24 @@ export interface ClusterPrometheusPreferences {
   };
 }
 
+interface ClusterStateSync {
+  id: string;
+  state: ClusterState;
+}
+
+function ClusterStoreStateHandler(): ClusterStateSync[] {
+  return clusterStore.clustersList.map(cluster => ({
+    state: cluster.getState(),
+    id: cluster.id,
+  }));
+}
+
+const clusterStoreStateRequest = createTypedInvoker({
+  channel: "cluster:states",
+  handler: ClusterStoreStateHandler,
+  verifier: isEmptyArgs,
+});
+
 export class ClusterStore extends BaseStore<ClusterStoreModel> {
   static getCustomKubeConfigPath(clusterId: ClusterId): string {
     return path.resolve((app || remote.app).getPath("userData"), "kubeconfigs", clusterId);
@@ -108,8 +126,6 @@ export class ClusterStore extends BaseStore<ClusterStoreModel> {
   @observable removedClusters = observable.map<ClusterId, Cluster>();
   @observable clusters = observable.map<ClusterId, Cluster>();
 
-  private static stateRequestChannel = "cluster:states";
-
   private constructor() {
     super({
       configName: "lens-cluster-store",
@@ -125,35 +141,13 @@ export class ClusterStore extends BaseStore<ClusterStoreModel> {
 
   async load() {
     await super.load();
-    type clusterStateSync = {
-      id: string;
-      state: ClusterState;
-    };
 
     if (ipcRenderer) {
       logger.info("[CLUSTER-STORE] requesting initial state sync");
-      const clusterStates: clusterStateSync[] = await requestMain(ClusterStore.stateRequestChannel);
 
-      clusterStates.forEach((clusterState) => {
-        const cluster = this.getById(clusterState.id);
-
-        if (cluster) {
-          cluster.setState(clusterState.state);
-        }
-      });
-    } else {
-      handleRequest(ClusterStore.stateRequestChannel, (): clusterStateSync[] => {
-        const states: clusterStateSync[] = [];
-
-        this.clustersList.forEach((cluster) => {
-          states.push({
-            state: cluster.getState(),
-            id: cluster.id
-          });
-        });
-
-        return states;
-      });
+      for (const { id, state } of await clusterStoreStateRequest.invoke()) {
+        this.getById(id)?.setState(state);
+      }
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/common/ipc/ipc.ts b/src/common/ipc/ipc.ts
index 48b0b89153..1d13b0aea4 100644
--- a/src/common/ipc/ipc.ts
+++ b/src/common/ipc/ipc.ts
@@ -6,8 +6,13 @@ import { ipcMain, ipcRenderer, webContents, remote } from "electron";
 import { toJS } from "mobx";
 import logger from "../../main/logger";
 import { ClusterFrameInfo, clusterFrameMap } from "../cluster-frames";
+import { createTypedInvoker, isEmptyArgs } from "./type-enforced-ipc";
 
-const subFramesChannel = "ipc:get-sub-frames";
+const subFrames = createTypedInvoker({
+  channel: "ipc:get-sub-frames",
+  handler: getSubFrames,
+  verifier: isEmptyArgs,
+});
 
 export function handleRequest(channel: string, listener: (event: Electron.IpcMainInvokeEvent, ...args: any[]) => any) {
   ipcMain.handle(channel, listener);
@@ -39,11 +44,11 @@ export async function broadcastMessage(channel: string, ...args: any[]) {
     view.send(channel, ...args);
 
     try {
-      const subFrames: ClusterFrameInfo[] = ipcRenderer
-        ? await requestMain(subFramesChannel)
+      const childFrames: ClusterFrameInfo[] = ipcRenderer
+        ? await subFrames.invoke()
         : getSubFrames();
 
-      for (const frameInfo of subFrames) {
+      for (const frameInfo of childFrames) {
         view.sendToFrame([frameInfo.processId, frameInfo.frameId], channel, ...args);
       }
     } catch (error) {
@@ -77,9 +82,3 @@ export function unsubscribeAllFromBroadcast(channel: string) {
     ipcMain.removeAllListeners(channel);
   }
 }
-
-export function bindBroadcastHandlers() {
-  handleRequest(subFramesChannel, () => {
-    return getSubFrames();
-  });
-}
diff --git a/src/common/ipc/type-enforced-ipc.ts b/src/common/ipc/type-enforced-ipc.ts
index c0d4ee0d65..7f4458204d 100644
--- a/src/common/ipc/type-enforced-ipc.ts
+++ b/src/common/ipc/type-enforced-ipc.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ export type ListVerifier<T extends any[]> = (args: unknown[]) => args is T;
 export type Rest<T> = T extends [any, ...infer R] ? R : [];
 export type IpcListener<E extends Event, Args extends any[]> = (e: E, ...args: Args) => void;
 
+export function isEmptyArgs(args: unknown[]): args is [] {
+  return args.length === 0;
+}
+
 /**
  * Adds a listener to `source` that waits for the first IPC message with the correct
  * argument data is sent.
@@ -210,7 +214,7 @@ export function createTypedSender<
         source: ipcMain ?? ipcRenderer,
         channel,
         listener,
-        verifier: verifier as any, // safety: this verifier is correct, TS just doesn't equate Rest<..> correctly
+        verifier: verifier as ListVerifier<Rest<[e: Event, ...args: Args]>>,
       });
     },
     once(listener) {
@@ -218,7 +222,7 @@ export function createTypedSender<
         source: ipcMain ?? ipcRenderer,
         channel,
         listener,
-        verifier: verifier as any, // safety: this verifier is correct, TS just doesn't equate Rest<..> correctly
+        verifier: verifier as ListVerifier<Rest<[e: Event, ...args: Args]>>,
       });
     }
   };
diff --git a/src/common/utils/type-narrowing.ts b/src/common/utils/type-narrowing.ts
index cdfa98666f..57c8b79184 100644
--- a/src/common/utils/type-narrowing.ts
+++ b/src/common/utils/type-narrowing.ts
@@ -107,8 +107,14 @@ export function isNull(val: unknown): val is null {
  * This is useful for when using `hasOptionalProperty` and `hasTypedProperty`
  * @param fn A typescript user predicate function to be bound
  * @param boundArgs the set of arguments to be passed to `fn` in the new function
+ *
+ * Example:
+ * ```
+ * bindTypeGuard(isTypedArray, isString); // Predicate<string[]>
+ * bindTypeGuard(isRecord, isString, isBoolean); // Predicate<Record<string, boolean>>
+ * ```
  */
-export function bindTypeGuard<FnArgs extends any[], T>(fn: (arg1: unknown, ...args: FnArgs) => arg1 is T, ...boundArgs: FnArgs): (arg1: unknown) => arg1 is T {
+export function bindTypeGuard<FnArgs extends any[], T>(fn: (arg1: unknown, ...args: FnArgs) => arg1 is T, ...boundArgs: FnArgs): Predicate<T> {
   return (arg1: unknown): arg1 is T => fn(arg1, ...boundArgs);
 }
 
@@ -122,6 +128,11 @@ type OrReturnPredicateType<T extends Predicate<any>[]> = ReturnPredicateType<Fir
  * Create a new type-guard for the union of the types that each of the
  * predicates are type-guarding for
  * @param predicates a list of predicates that should be executed in order
+ *
+ * Example:
+ * ```
+ * createUnionGuard(isString, isBoolean); // Predicate<string | boolean>
+ * ```
  */
 export function createUnionGuard<Predicates extends Predicate<any>[]>(...predicates: Predicates): Predicate<OrReturnPredicateType<Predicates>> {
   return (arg: unknown): arg is OrReturnPredicateType<Predicates> => {
diff --git a/src/common/workspace-store.ts b/src/common/workspace-store.ts
index 921a9126a9..a863aa319f 100644
--- a/src/common/workspace-store.ts
+++ b/src/common/workspace-store.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { action, computed, observable, toJS, reaction } from "mobx";
 import { BaseStore } from "./base-store";
 import { clusterStore } from "./cluster-store";
 import { appEventBus } from "./event-bus";
-import { broadcastMessage, handleRequest, requestMain } from "../common/ipc";
+import { broadcastMessage, createTypedInvoker, isEmptyArgs } from "../common/ipc";
 import logger from "../main/logger";
 import type { ClusterId } from "./cluster-store";
 
@@ -141,9 +141,26 @@ export class Workspace implements WorkspaceModel, WorkspaceState {
   }
 }
 
+interface WorkspaceStateSync {
+  id: string;
+  state: WorkspaceState;
+}
+
+function WorkspaceStoreStateHandler(): WorkspaceStateSync[] {
+  return clusterStore.clustersList.map(cluster => ({
+    state: cluster.getState(),
+    id: cluster.id,
+  }));
+}
+
+const workspaceStoreStateRequest = createTypedInvoker({
+  channel: "workspace:states",
+  handler: WorkspaceStoreStateHandler,
+  verifier: isEmptyArgs,
+});
+
 export class WorkspaceStore extends BaseStore<WorkspaceStoreModel> {
   static readonly defaultId: WorkspaceId = "default";
-  private static stateRequestChannel = "workspace:states";
 
   @observable currentWorkspaceId = WorkspaceStore.defaultId;
   @observable workspaces = observable.map<WorkspaceId, Workspace>();
@@ -161,35 +178,13 @@ export class WorkspaceStore extends BaseStore<WorkspaceStoreModel> {
 
   async load() {
     await super.load();
-    type workspaceStateSync = {
-      id: string;
-      state: WorkspaceState;
-    };
 
     if (ipcRenderer) {
       logger.info("[WORKSPACE-STORE] requesting initial state sync");
-      const workspaceStates: workspaceStateSync[] = await requestMain(WorkspaceStore.stateRequestChannel);
 
-      workspaceStates.forEach((workspaceState) => {
-        const workspace = this.getById(workspaceState.id);
-
-        if (workspace) {
-          workspace.setState(workspaceState.state);
-        }
-      });
-    } else {
-      handleRequest(WorkspaceStore.stateRequestChannel, (): workspaceStateSync[] => {
-        const states: workspaceStateSync[] = [];
-
-        this.workspacesList.forEach((workspace) => {
-          states.push({
-            state: workspace.getState(),
-            id: workspace.id
-          });
-        });
-
-        return states;
-      });
+      for (const { id, state } of await workspaceStoreStateRequest.invoke()) {
+        this.getById(id)?.setState(state);
+      }
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts b/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts
index 0994f89995..49bafabe3f 100644
--- a/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/extension-discovery.ts
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ import fs from "fs-extra";
 import { observable, reaction, toJS, when } from "mobx";
 import os from "os";
 import path from "path";
-import { broadcastMessage, handleRequest, requestMain, subscribeToBroadcast } from "../common/ipc";
+import { createTypedInvoker, createTypedSender, isEmptyArgs } from "../common/ipc";
 import { getBundledExtensions } from "../common/utils/app-version";
+import { hasTypedProperty, isBoolean } from "../common/utils/type-narrowing";
 import logger from "../main/logger";
 import { extensionInstaller, PackageJson } from "./extension-installer";
 import { extensionsStore } from "./extensions-store";
@@ -31,15 +32,35 @@ const logModule = "[EXTENSION-DISCOVERY]";
 
 export const manifestFilename = "package.json";
 
-interface ExtensionDiscoveryChannelMessage {
-  isLoaded: boolean;
+type DiscoveryLoadingState = [isLoaded: boolean];
+
+function isExtensionDiscoveryChannelMessage(args: unknown[]): args is DiscoveryLoadingState {
+  return hasTypedProperty(args, 0, isBoolean)
+    && args.length === 0;
 }
 
 /**
  * Returns true if the lstat is for a directory-like file (e.g. isDirectory or symbolic link)
  * @param lstat the stats to compare
  */
-const isDirectoryLike = (lstat: fs.Stats) => lstat.isDirectory() || lstat.isSymbolicLink();
+function isDirectoryLike(lstat: fs.Stats): boolean {
+  return lstat.isDirectory() || lstat.isSymbolicLink();
+}
+
+const extensionDiscoveryState = createTypedSender({
+  channel: "extension-discovery:state",
+  verifier: isExtensionDiscoveryChannelMessage,
+});
+
+function ExtensionDiscoveryInitState(): boolean {
+  return extensionDiscovery.isLoaded;
+}
+
+const extensionDiscoveryInitState = createTypedInvoker({
+  channel: "extension-discovery:init-state",
+  handler: ExtensionDiscoveryInitState,
+  verifier: isEmptyArgs,
+});
 
 /**
  * Discovers installed bundled and local extensions from the filesystem.
@@ -61,9 +82,6 @@ export class ExtensionDiscovery {
   @observable isLoaded = false;
   whenLoaded = when(() => this.isLoaded);
 
-  // IPC channel to broadcast changes to extension-discovery from main
-  protected static readonly extensionDiscoveryChannel = "extension-discovery:main";
-
   public events: EventEmitter;
 
   constructor() {
@@ -95,31 +113,18 @@ export class ExtensionDiscovery {
    */
   async init() {
     if (ipcRenderer) {
-      await this.initRenderer();
+      extensionDiscoveryState.on((event, isLoaded) => {
+        this.isLoaded = isLoaded;
+      });
+
+      this.isLoaded = await extensionDiscoveryInitState.invoke();
     } else {
-      await this.initMain();
+      reaction(() => this.toJSON(), loadingState => {
+        extensionDiscoveryState.broadcast(...loadingState);
+      });
     }
   }
 
-  async initRenderer() {
-    const onMessage = ({ isLoaded }: ExtensionDiscoveryChannelMessage) => {
-      this.isLoaded = isLoaded;
-    };
-
-    requestMain(ExtensionDiscovery.extensionDiscoveryChannel).then(onMessage);
-    subscribeToBroadcast(ExtensionDiscovery.extensionDiscoveryChannel, (_event, message: ExtensionDiscoveryChannelMessage) => {
-      onMessage(message);
-    });
-  }
-
-  async initMain() {
-    handleRequest(ExtensionDiscovery.extensionDiscoveryChannel, () => this.toJSON());
-
-    reaction(() => this.toJSON(), () => {
-      this.broadcast();
-    });
-  }
-
   /**
    * Watches for added/removed local extensions.
    * Dependencies are installed automatically after an extension folder is copied.
@@ -450,17 +455,13 @@ export class ExtensionDiscovery {
     return this.getByManifest(manifestPath, { isBundled });
   }
 
-  toJSON(): ExtensionDiscoveryChannelMessage {
-    return toJS({
-      isLoaded: this.isLoaded
-    }, {
+  toJSON(): DiscoveryLoadingState {
+    return toJS([
+      this.isLoaded
+    ], {
       recurseEverything: true
     });
   }
-
-  broadcast() {
-    broadcastMessage(ExtensionDiscovery.extensionDiscoveryChannel, this.toJSON());
-  }
 }
 
 export const extensionDiscovery = new ExtensionDiscovery();
diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index c98595fa35..1e7ee38573 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ import type { LensExtensionId } from "../extensions/lens-extension";
 import { installDeveloperTools } from "./developer-tools";
 import { filesystemProvisionerStore } from "./extension-filesystem";
 import { getAppVersion, getAppVersionFromProxyServer } from "../common/utils";
-import { bindBroadcastHandlers } from "../common/ipc";
 import { startUpdateChecking } from "./app-updater";
+import "../common/ipc"; // make sure that the handlers are registered
 
 const workingDir = path.join(app.getPath("appData"), appName);
 let proxyPort: number;
@@ -66,8 +66,6 @@ app.on("ready", async () => {
   logger.info("🐚 Syncing shell environment");
   await shellSync();
 
-  bindBroadcastHandlers();
-
   powerMonitor.on("shutdown", () => {
     app.exit();
   });