diff --git a/public/app/listeners/getAppInstanceResources.js b/public/app/listeners/getAppInstanceResources.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b67e0dce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/app/listeners/getAppInstanceResources.js
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+const GET_APP_INSTANCE_RESOURCES_CHANNEL = require('../config/channels');
+
+const getAppInstanceResources = (mainWindow, db) => async (data = {}) => {
+  const defaultResponse = [];
+  const { userId, appInstanceId, spaceId, subSpaceId, type } = data;
+  try {
+    // tools live on the parent
+    const tool = spaceId === subSpaceId;
+
+    let appInstanceResourcesHandle;
+
+    // if not a tool, we need to go one step further into the phase
+    if (!tool) {
+      appInstanceResourcesHandle = db
+        .get('spaces')
+        .find({ id: spaceId })
+        .get('phases')
+        .find({ id: subSpaceId })
+        .get('items')
+        .filter(item => item.appInstance)
+        .map(item => item.appInstance)
+        .find({ id: appInstanceId })
+        .get('resources');
+    } else {
+      appInstanceResourcesHandle = db
+        .get('spaces')
+        .find({ id: spaceId })
+        .get('items')
+        .filter(item => item.appInstance)
+        .map(item => item.appInstance)
+        .find({ id: appInstanceId })
+        .get('resources');
+    }
+
+    // only filter by type if provided
+    if (type) {
+      appInstanceResourcesHandle.filter({ type });
+    }
+
+    // only filter by user if provided
+    if (userId) {
+      appInstanceResourcesHandle.filter({ user: userId });
+    }
+
+    const appInstanceResources = appInstanceResourcesHandle.value();
+
+    const response = appInstanceResources || defaultResponse;
+
+    // response is sent back to channel specific for this app instance
+    mainWindow.webContents.send(
+      `${GET_APP_INSTANCE_RESOURCES_CHANNEL}_${appInstanceId}`,
+      {
+        appInstanceId,
+        payload: response,
+      }
+    );
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error(e);
+    // error is sent back to channel specific for this app instance
+    mainWindow.webContents.send(
+      `${GET_APP_INSTANCE_RESOURCES_CHANNEL}_${appInstanceId}`,
+      {
+        appInstanceId,
+        payload: defaultResponse,
+      }
+    );
+  }
+};
+
+module.exports = getAppInstanceResources;
diff --git a/public/app/listeners/index.js b/public/app/listeners/index.js
index 6ddd12f3..1d028f87 100644
--- a/public/app/listeners/index.js
+++ b/public/app/listeners/index.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ const getDeveloperMode = require('./getDeveloperMode');
 const setDeveloperMode = require('./setDeveloperMode');
 const clearUserInput = require('./clearUserInput');
 const showClearUserInputPrompt = require('./showClearUserInputPrompt');
+const getAppInstanceResources = require('./getAppInstanceResources');
 
 module.exports = {
   loadSpace,
@@ -40,4 +41,5 @@ module.exports = {
   setDeveloperMode,
   clearUserInput,
   showClearUserInputPrompt,
+  getAppInstanceResources,
 };
diff --git a/public/electron.js b/public/electron.js
index b2471ea7..9602834c 100644
--- a/public/electron.js
+++ b/public/electron.js
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ const {
   setDeveloperMode,
   clearUserInput,
   showClearUserInputPrompt,
+  getAppInstanceResources,
 } = require('./app/listeners');
 const isMac = require('./app/utils/isMac');
 
@@ -362,72 +363,10 @@ app.on('ready', async () => {
   );
 
   // called when getting AppInstanceResources
-  ipcMain.on(GET_APP_INSTANCE_RESOURCES_CHANNEL, (event, data = {}) => {
-    const defaultResponse = [];
-    const { userId, appInstanceId, spaceId, subSpaceId, type } = data;
-    try {
-      // tools live on the parent
-      const tool = spaceId === subSpaceId;
-
-      let appInstanceResourcesHandle;
-
-      // if not a tool, we need to go one step further into the phase
-      if (!tool) {
-        appInstanceResourcesHandle = db
-          .get('spaces')
-          .find({ id: spaceId })
-          .get('phases')
-          .find({ id: subSpaceId })
-          .get('items')
-          .filter(item => item.appInstance)
-          .map(item => item.appInstance)
-          .find({ id: appInstanceId })
-          .get('resources');
-      } else {
-        appInstanceResourcesHandle = db
-          .get('spaces')
-          .find({ id: spaceId })
-          .get('items')
-          .filter(item => item.appInstance)
-          .map(item => item.appInstance)
-          .find({ id: appInstanceId })
-          .get('resources');
-      }
-
-      // only filter by type if provided
-      if (type) {
-        appInstanceResourcesHandle.filter({ type });
-      }
-
-      // only filter by user if provided
-      if (userId) {
-        appInstanceResourcesHandle.filter({ user: userId });
-      }
-
-      const appInstanceResources = appInstanceResourcesHandle.value();
-
-      const response = appInstanceResources || defaultResponse;
-
-      // response is sent back to channel specific for this app instance
-      mainWindow.webContents.send(
-        `${GET_APP_INSTANCE_RESOURCES_CHANNEL}_${appInstanceId}`,
-        {
-          appInstanceId,
-          payload: response,
-        }
-      );
-    } catch (e) {
-      console.error(e);
-      // error is sent back to channel specific for this app instance
-      mainWindow.webContents.send(
-        `${GET_APP_INSTANCE_RESOURCES_CHANNEL}_${appInstanceId}`,
-        {
-          appInstanceId,
-          payload: defaultResponse,
-        }
-      );
-    }
-  });
+  ipcMain.on(
+    GET_APP_INSTANCE_RESOURCES_CHANNEL,
+    getAppInstanceResources(mainWindow, db)
+  );
 
   // called when creating an AppInstanceResource
   ipcMain.on(POST_APP_INSTANCE_RESOURCE_CHANNEL, (event, payload = {}) => {