diff --git a/packages/apps-routing/src/staking.ts b/packages/apps-routing/src/staking.ts
index a99ea76a78..c0d9037662 100644
--- a/packages/apps-routing/src/staking.ts
+++ b/packages/apps-routing/src/staking.ts
@@ -21,13 +21,22 @@ function needsApiCheck (api: ApiPromise): boolean {
     );
 
     assert(total.eq(BN_ONE) && own.eq(BN_ONE) && who.eq(TEST_ADDR) && value.eq(BN_ONE), 'Needs a known Exposure type');
-
-    return true;
-  } catch (error) {
-    console.warn('Unable to create PalletStakingIndividualExposure type, disabling staking route');
+  } catch {
+    console.warn('Unable to create known-shape Exposure type, disabling staking route');
 
     return false;
   }
+
+  try {
+    // we need to be able to bond
+    api.tx.staking.bond(TEST_ADDR, BN_ONE, { Account: TEST_ADDR });
+  } catch {
+    console.warn('Unable to create staking bond transaction, disabling staking route');
+
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  return true;
 }
 
 export default function create (t: TFunction): Route {
@@ -35,7 +44,8 @@ export default function create (t: TFunction): Route {
     Component,
     display: {
       needsApi: [
-        ['tx.staking.bond']
+        'query.staking.erasStakers',
+        'tx.staking.bond'
       ],
       needsApiCheck
     },
diff --git a/packages/apps/src/endpoint.ts b/packages/apps/src/endpoint.ts
index 7de7b1658b..f68626ec9e 100644
--- a/packages/apps/src/endpoint.ts
+++ b/packages/apps/src/endpoint.ts
@@ -18,17 +18,21 @@ function hasEndpoint (api: ApiPromise, endpoint: string, needsApiInstances: bool
 }
 
 export function findMissingApis (api: ApiPromise, needsApi?: (string | string[])[], needsApiInstances = false, needsApiCheck?: (api: ApiPromise) => boolean): (string | string[])[] {
-  if (needsApiCheck && !needsApiCheck(api)) {
-    return ['needsApiCheck'];
-  } else if (!needsApi) {
+  if (!needsApi) {
     return [];
   }
 
-  return needsApi.filter((endpoint: string | string[]): boolean => {
+  const missing = needsApi.filter((endpoint: string | string[]): boolean => {
     const hasApi = Array.isArray(endpoint)
       ? endpoint.reduce((hasApi, endpoint) => hasApi || hasEndpoint(api, endpoint, needsApiInstances), false)
       : hasEndpoint(api, endpoint, needsApiInstances);
 
     return !hasApi;
   });
+
+  if (!missing.length && needsApiCheck && !needsApiCheck(api)) {
+    return ['needsApiCheck'];
+  }
+
+  return missing;
 }
diff --git a/packages/page-democracy/src/Overview/Seconding.tsx b/packages/page-democracy/src/Overview/Seconding.tsx
index 14e9bbd956..ea39ca2a2b 100644
--- a/packages/page-democracy/src/Overview/Seconding.tsx
+++ b/packages/page-democracy/src/Overview/Seconding.tsx
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ function Seconding ({ deposit, depositors, image, proposalId }: Props): React.Re
             </Modal.Columns>
             <Modal.Columns hint={t<string>('The deposit will be locked for the lifetime of the proposal.')}>
               <InputBalance
+                defaultValue={deposit || api.consts.democracy.minimumDeposit}
                 isDisabled
                 label={t<string>('deposit required')}
-                value={deposit || api.consts.democracy.minimumDeposit}
               />
             </Modal.Columns>
           </Modal.Content>