diff --git a/atom/common/api/atom_api_crash_reporter.cc b/atom/common/api/atom_api_crash_reporter.cc
index 24eb6920016f..fb9ad3bb54c5 100644
--- a/atom/common/api/atom_api_crash_reporter.cc
+++ b/atom/common/api/atom_api_crash_reporter.cc
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ void Initialize(v8::Local<v8::Object> exports, v8::Local<v8::Value> unused,
                  base::Bind(&CrashReporter::GetUploadedReports, report));
   dict.SetMethod("_setShouldUpload",
                  base::Bind(&CrashReporter::SetShouldUpload, report));
+  dict.SetMethod("_getShouldUpload",
+                 base::Bind(&CrashReporter::GetShouldUpload, report));
 }
 
 }  // namespace
diff --git a/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter.cc b/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter.cc
index a672df65ac21..dc76adf6b72d 100644
--- a/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter.cc
+++ b/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter.cc
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@ void CrashReporter::SetShouldUpload(const bool should_upload) {
 
 }
 
+bool CrashReporter::GetShouldUpload() {
+  return true;
+}
+
 std::vector<CrashReporter::UploadReportResult>
 CrashReporter::GetUploadedReports(const base::FilePath& crashes_dir) {
   std::string file_content;
diff --git a/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter.h b/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter.h
index caf445562822..fe7d109460b1 100644
--- a/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter.h
+++ b/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class CrashReporter {
       const base::FilePath& crashes_dir);
 
   virtual void SetShouldUpload(bool should_upload);
+  virtual bool GetShouldUpload();
 
  protected:
   CrashReporter();
diff --git a/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter_mac.h b/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter_mac.h
index 2e3c43639f75..d9b0ca734473 100644
--- a/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter_mac.h
+++ b/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter_mac.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class CrashReporterMac : public CrashReporter {
                     bool skip_system_crash_handler) override;
   void SetUploadParameters() override;
   void SetShouldUpload(bool should_upload) override;
+  bool GetShouldUpload() override;
 
  private:
   friend struct base::DefaultSingletonTraits<CrashReporterMac>;
diff --git a/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter_mac.mm b/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter_mac.mm
index fa01c8d0dcb6..9c649a21a14c 100644
--- a/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter_mac.mm
+++ b/atom/common/crash_reporter/crash_reporter_mac.mm
@@ -75,12 +75,18 @@ void CrashReporterMac::InitBreakpad(const std::string& product_name,
   if (is_browser_) {
     database_ =
         crashpad::CrashReportDatabase::Initialize(crashes_dir);
-    if (database_) {
-      database_->GetSettings()->SetUploadsEnabled(should_upload);
-    }
+    SetShouldUpload(should_upload);
   }
 }
 
+bool CrashReporterMac::GetShouldUpload() {
+  bool enabled = true;
+  if (database_) {
+    database_->GetSettings()->GetUploadsEnabled(&enabled);
+  }
+  return enabled;
+}
+
 void CrashReporterMac::SetShouldUpload(const bool should_upload) {
   if (database_) {
     database_->GetSettings()->SetUploadsEnabled(should_upload);
diff --git a/docs/api/crash-reporter.md b/docs/api/crash-reporter.md
index 89f7e138e269..216a36a53b16 100644
--- a/docs/api/crash-reporter.md
+++ b/docs/api/crash-reporter.md
@@ -75,12 +75,16 @@ ID.
 Returns `Boolean` - Whether reports should be submitted to the server.  Set through
 the `start` method or `setShouldUpload`.
 
+**NOTE:** This API can only be used from the main process
+
 ### `crashReporter.setShouldUpload(shouldUpload)` _macOS_
 
 * `shouldUpload` Boolean _macOS_ - Whether reports should be submitted to the server
 
 This would normally be controlled by user preferences.
 
+**NOTE:** This API can only be used from the main process
+
 ## Crash Report Payload
 
 The crash reporter will send the following data to the `submitURL` as
diff --git a/lib/common/api/crash-reporter.js b/lib/common/api/crash-reporter.js
index e17670321b71..7a8648aa4417 100644
--- a/lib/common/api/crash-reporter.js
+++ b/lib/common/api/crash-reporter.js
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ class CrashReporter {
       })
     }
 
-    this._shouldUpload = shouldUpload
     binding.start(this.getProductName(), companyName, submitURL, this.getCrashesDirectory(), shouldUpload, ignoreSystemCrashHandler, extra)
   }
 
@@ -104,12 +103,19 @@ class CrashReporter {
   }
 
   getShouldUpload() {
-    return this._shouldUpload
+    if (process.type === 'browser') {
+      return binding._getShouldUpload()
+    } else {
+      throw new Error('getShouldUpload can only be called from the main process')
+    }
   }
 
   setShouldUpload(shouldUpload) {
-    this._shouldUpload = shouldUpload
-    return binding._setShouldUpload(shouldUpload)
+    if (process.type === 'browser') {
+      return binding._setShouldUpload(shouldUpload)
+    } else {
+      throw new Error('setShouldUpload can only be called from the main process')
+    }
   }
 }