diff --git a/src/domain/RootViewModel.js b/src/domain/RootViewModel.js
index d9949c77..4541ee22 100644
--- a/src/domain/RootViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/RootViewModel.js
@@ -23,13 +23,13 @@ import {ViewModel} from "./ViewModel.js";
 export class RootViewModel extends ViewModel {
     constructor(options) {
         super(options);
-        this._createSessionContainer = options.createSessionContainer;
+        this._createClient = options.createClient;
         this._error = null;
         this._sessionPickerViewModel = null;
         this._sessionLoadViewModel = null;
         this._loginViewModel = null;
         this._sessionViewModel = null;
-        this._pendingSessionContainer = null;
+        this._pendingClient = null;
     }
 
     async load() {
@@ -53,16 +53,16 @@ export class RootViewModel extends ViewModel {
             }
         } else if (sessionId) {
             if (!this._sessionViewModel || this._sessionViewModel.id !== sessionId) {
-                // see _showLogin for where _pendingSessionContainer comes from
-                if (this._pendingSessionContainer && this._pendingSessionContainer.sessionId === sessionId) {
-                    const sessionContainer = this._pendingSessionContainer;
-                    this._pendingSessionContainer = null;
-                    this._showSession(sessionContainer);
+                // see _showLogin for where _pendingClient comes from
+                if (this._pendingClient && this._pendingClient.sessionId === sessionId) {
+                    const client = this._pendingClient;
+                    this._pendingClient = null;
+                    this._showSession(client);
                 } else {
                     // this should never happen, but we want to be sure not to leak it
-                    if (this._pendingSessionContainer) {
-                        this._pendingSessionContainer.dispose();
-                        this._pendingSessionContainer = null;
+                    if (this._pendingClient) {
+                        this._pendingClient.dispose();
+                        this._pendingClient = null;
                     }
                     this._showSessionLoader(sessionId);
                 }
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ export class RootViewModel extends ViewModel {
         this._setSection(() => {
             this._loginViewModel = new LoginViewModel(this.childOptions({
                 defaultHomeserver: this.platform.config["defaultHomeServer"],
-                createSessionContainer: this._createSessionContainer,
-                ready: sessionContainer => {
+                createClient: this._createClient,
+                ready: client => {
                     // we don't want to load the session container again,
                     // but we also want the change of screen to go through the navigation
                     // so we store the session container in a temporary variable that will be
@@ -116,28 +116,28 @@ export class RootViewModel extends ViewModel {
                     // Also, we should not call _setSection before the navigation is in the correct state,
                     // as url creation (e.g. in RoomTileViewModel)
                     // won't be using the correct navigation base path.
-                    this._pendingSessionContainer = sessionContainer;
-                    this.navigation.push("session", sessionContainer.sessionId);
+                    this._pendingClient = client;
+                    this.navigation.push("session", client.sessionId);
                 },
                 loginToken
             }));
         });
     }
 
-    _showSession(sessionContainer) {
+    _showSession(client) {
         this._setSection(() => {
-            this._sessionViewModel = new SessionViewModel(this.childOptions({sessionContainer}));
+            this._sessionViewModel = new SessionViewModel(this.childOptions({client}));
             this._sessionViewModel.start();
         });
     }
 
     _showSessionLoader(sessionId) {
-        const sessionContainer = this._createSessionContainer();
-        sessionContainer.startWithExistingSession(sessionId);
+        const client = this._createClient();
+        client.startWithExistingSession(sessionId);
         this._setSection(() => {
             this._sessionLoadViewModel = new SessionLoadViewModel(this.childOptions({
-                sessionContainer,
-                ready: sessionContainer => this._showSession(sessionContainer)
+                client,
+                ready: client => this._showSession(client)
             }));
             this._sessionLoadViewModel.start();
         });
diff --git a/src/domain/SessionLoadViewModel.js b/src/domain/SessionLoadViewModel.js
index c798bc67..24df2546 100644
--- a/src/domain/SessionLoadViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/SessionLoadViewModel.js
@@ -15,15 +15,15 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 import {AccountSetupViewModel} from "./AccountSetupViewModel.js";
-import {LoadStatus} from "../matrix/SessionContainer.js";
+import {LoadStatus} from "../matrix/Client.js";
 import {SyncStatus} from "../matrix/Sync.js";
 import {ViewModel} from "./ViewModel.js";
 
 export class SessionLoadViewModel extends ViewModel {
     constructor(options) {
         super(options);
-        const {sessionContainer, ready, homeserver, deleteSessionOnCancel} = options;
-        this._sessionContainer = sessionContainer;
+        const {client, ready, homeserver, deleteSessionOnCancel} = options;
+        this._client = client;
         this._ready = ready;
         this._homeserver = homeserver;
         this._deleteSessionOnCancel = deleteSessionOnCancel;
@@ -41,16 +41,16 @@ export class SessionLoadViewModel extends ViewModel {
         try {
             this._loading = true;
             this.emitChange("loading");
-            this._waitHandle = this._sessionContainer.loadStatus.waitFor(s => {
+            this._waitHandle = this._client.loadStatus.waitFor(s => {
                 if (s === LoadStatus.AccountSetup) {
-                    this._accountSetupViewModel = new AccountSetupViewModel(this._sessionContainer.accountSetup);
+                    this._accountSetupViewModel = new AccountSetupViewModel(this._client.accountSetup);
                 } else {
                     this._accountSetupViewModel = undefined;
                 }
                 this.emitChange("loadLabel");
                 // wait for initial sync, but not catchup sync
                 const isCatchupSync = s === LoadStatus.FirstSync &&
-                    this._sessionContainer.sync.status.get() === SyncStatus.CatchupSync;
+                    this._client.sync.status.get() === SyncStatus.CatchupSync;
                 return isCatchupSync ||
                     s === LoadStatus.LoginFailed ||
                     s === LoadStatus.Error ||
@@ -67,15 +67,15 @@ export class SessionLoadViewModel extends ViewModel {
             // much like we will once you are in the app. Probably a good idea
 
             // did it finish or get stuck at LoginFailed or Error?
-            const loadStatus = this._sessionContainer.loadStatus.get();
-            const loadError = this._sessionContainer.loadError;
+            const loadStatus = this._client.loadStatus.get();
+            const loadError = this._client.loadError;
             if (loadStatus === LoadStatus.FirstSync || loadStatus === LoadStatus.Ready) {
-                const sessionContainer = this._sessionContainer;
+                const client = this._client;
                 // session container is ready,
                 // don't dispose it anymore when 
                 // we get disposed
-                this._sessionContainer = null;
-                this._ready(sessionContainer);
+                this._client = null;
+                this._ready(client);
             }
             if (loadError) {
                 console.error("session load error", loadError);
@@ -85,16 +85,16 @@ export class SessionLoadViewModel extends ViewModel {
             console.error("error thrown during session load", err.stack);
         } finally {
             this._loading = false;
-            // loadLabel in case of sc.loadError also gets updated through this
+            // loadLabel in case of client.loadError also gets updated through this
             this.emitChange("loading");
         }
     }
 
 
     dispose() {
-        if (this._sessionContainer) {
-            this._sessionContainer.dispose();
-            this._sessionContainer = null;
+        if (this._client) {
+            this._client.dispose();
+            this._client = null;
         }
         if (this._waitHandle) {
             // rejects with AbortError
@@ -105,23 +105,23 @@ export class SessionLoadViewModel extends ViewModel {
 
     // to show a spinner or not
     get loading() {
-        const sc = this._sessionContainer;
-        if (sc && sc.loadStatus.get() === LoadStatus.AccountSetup) {
+        const client = this._client;
+        if (client && client.loadStatus.get() === LoadStatus.AccountSetup) {
             return false;
         }
         return this._loading;
     }
 
     get loadLabel() {
-        const sc = this._sessionContainer;
+        const client = this._client;
         const error = this._getError();
-        if (error || (sc && sc.loadStatus.get() === LoadStatus.Error)) {
+        if (error || (client && client.loadStatus.get() === LoadStatus.Error)) {
             return `Something went wrong: ${error && error.message}.`;
         }
 
         // Statuses related to login are handled by respective login view models
-        if (sc) {
-            switch (sc.loadStatus.get()) {
+        if (client) {
+            switch (client.loadStatus.get()) {
                 case LoadStatus.QueryAccount:
                     return `Querying account encryption setup…`;
                 case LoadStatus.AccountSetup:
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ export class SessionLoadViewModel extends ViewModel {
                 case LoadStatus.FirstSync:
                     return `Getting your conversations from the server…`;
                 default:
-                    return this._sessionContainer.loadStatus.get();
+                    return this._client.loadStatus.get();
             }
         }
 
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ export class SessionLoadViewModel extends ViewModel {
     }
 
     _getError() {
-        return this._error || this._sessionContainer?.loadError; 
+        return this._error || this._client?.loadError; 
     }
 
     get hasError() {
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ export class SessionLoadViewModel extends ViewModel {
     }
 
     async logout() {
-        await this._sessionContainer.logout();
+        await this._client.logout();
         this.navigation.push("session", true);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/domain/login/CompleteSSOLoginViewModel.js b/src/domain/login/CompleteSSOLoginViewModel.js
index 7821313a..daa2aa9f 100644
--- a/src/domain/login/CompleteSSOLoginViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/login/CompleteSSOLoginViewModel.js
@@ -15,18 +15,18 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 import {ViewModel} from "../ViewModel.js";
-import {LoginFailure} from "../../matrix/SessionContainer.js";
+import {LoginFailure} from "../../matrix/Client.js";
 
 export class CompleteSSOLoginViewModel extends ViewModel {
     constructor(options) {
         super(options);
         const {
             loginToken,
-            sessionContainer,
+            client,
             attemptLogin,
         } = options;
         this._loginToken = loginToken;
-        this._sessionContainer = sessionContainer;
+        this._client = client;
         this._attemptLogin = attemptLogin;
         this._errorMessage = "";
         this.performSSOLoginCompletion();
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ export class CompleteSSOLoginViewModel extends ViewModel {
         const homeserver = await this.platform.settingsStorage.getString("sso_ongoing_login_homeserver");
         let loginOptions;
         try {
-            loginOptions = await this._sessionContainer.queryLogin(homeserver).result;
+            loginOptions = await this._client.queryLogin(homeserver).result;
         }
         catch (err) {
             this._showError(err.message);
diff --git a/src/domain/login/LoginViewModel.js b/src/domain/login/LoginViewModel.js
index 6314f347..c44b34f3 100644
--- a/src/domain/login/LoginViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/login/LoginViewModel.js
@@ -18,17 +18,17 @@ import {ViewModel} from "../ViewModel.js";
 import {PasswordLoginViewModel} from "./PasswordLoginViewModel.js";
 import {StartSSOLoginViewModel} from "./StartSSOLoginViewModel.js";
 import {CompleteSSOLoginViewModel} from "./CompleteSSOLoginViewModel.js";
-import {LoadStatus} from "../../matrix/SessionContainer.js";
+import {LoadStatus} from "../../matrix/Client.js";
 import {SessionLoadViewModel} from "../SessionLoadViewModel.js";
 
 export class LoginViewModel extends ViewModel {
     constructor(options) {
         super(options);
-        const {ready, defaultHomeserver, createSessionContainer, loginToken} = options;
-        this._createSessionContainer = createSessionContainer;
+        const {ready, defaultHomeserver, createClient, loginToken} = options;
+        this._createClient = createClient;
         this._ready = ready;
         this._loginToken = loginToken;
-        this._sessionContainer = this._createSessionContainer();
+        this._client = this._createClient();
         this._loginOptions = null;
         this._passwordLoginViewModel = null;
         this._startSSOLoginViewModel = null;
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ export class LoginViewModel extends ViewModel {
             this._completeSSOLoginViewModel = this.track(new CompleteSSOLoginViewModel(
                 this.childOptions(
                     {
-                        sessionContainer: this._sessionContainer,
+                        client: this._client,
                         attemptLogin: loginMethod => this.attemptLogin(loginMethod),
                         loginToken: this._loginToken
                     })));
@@ -107,14 +107,14 @@ export class LoginViewModel extends ViewModel {
 
     async attemptLogin(loginMethod) {
         this._setBusy(true);
-        this._sessionContainer.startWithLogin(loginMethod, {inspectAccountSetup: true});
-        const loadStatus = this._sessionContainer.loadStatus;
+        this._client.startWithLogin(loginMethod, {inspectAccountSetup: true});
+        const loadStatus = this._client.loadStatus;
         const handle = loadStatus.waitFor(status => status !== LoadStatus.Login);
         await handle.promise;
         this._setBusy(false);
         const status = loadStatus.get();
         if (status === LoadStatus.LoginFailed) {
-            return this._sessionContainer.loginFailure;
+            return this._client.loginFailure;
         }
         this._hideHomeserver = true;
         this.emitChange("hideHomeserver");
@@ -129,12 +129,12 @@ export class LoginViewModel extends ViewModel {
         this._loadViewModel = this.track(
             new SessionLoadViewModel(
                 this.childOptions({
-                    ready: (sessionContainer) => {
+                    ready: (client) => {
                         // make sure we don't delete the session in dispose when navigating away
-                        this._sessionContainer = null;
-                        this._ready(sessionContainer);
+                        this._client = null;
+                        this._ready(client);
                     },
-                    sessionContainer: this._sessionContainer,
+                    client: this._client,
                     homeserver: this._homeserver
                 })
             )
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ export class LoginViewModel extends ViewModel {
         // cancel ongoing query operation, if any
         this._abortQueryOperation = this.disposeTracked(this._abortQueryOperation);
         try {
-            const queryOperation = this._sessionContainer.queryLogin(this._homeserver);
+            const queryOperation = this._client.queryLogin(this._homeserver);
             this._abortQueryOperation = this.track(() => queryOperation.abort());
             this.emitChange("isFetchingLoginOptions");
             this._loginOptions = await queryOperation.result;
@@ -230,10 +230,10 @@ export class LoginViewModel extends ViewModel {
 
     dispose() {
         super.dispose();
-        if (this._sessionContainer) {
+        if (this._client) {
             // if we move away before we're done with initial sync
             // delete the session
-            this._sessionContainer.deleteSession();
+            this._client.deleteSession();
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/domain/login/PasswordLoginViewModel.js b/src/domain/login/PasswordLoginViewModel.js
index 7ea239e6..5fd8271f 100644
--- a/src/domain/login/PasswordLoginViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/login/PasswordLoginViewModel.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 import {ViewModel} from "../ViewModel.js";
-import {LoginFailure} from "../../matrix/SessionContainer.js";
+import {LoginFailure} from "../../matrix/Client.js";
 
 export class PasswordLoginViewModel extends ViewModel {
     constructor(options) {
diff --git a/src/domain/session/RoomViewModelObservable.js b/src/domain/session/RoomViewModelObservable.js
index 2a706045..8d576a98 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/RoomViewModelObservable.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/RoomViewModelObservable.js
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export class RoomViewModelObservable extends ObservableValue {
     are called in that case.
     */
     async initialize() {
-        const {session} = this._sessionViewModel._sessionContainer;
+        const {session} = this._sessionViewModel._client;
         const statusObservable = await session.observeRoomStatus(this.id);
         this.set(await this._statusToViewModel(statusObservable.get()));
         this._statusSubscription = statusObservable.subscribe(async status => {
diff --git a/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js
index 6aee0d8d..822a4d31 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js
@@ -30,16 +30,16 @@ import {RightPanelViewModel} from "./rightpanel/RightPanelViewModel.js";
 export class SessionViewModel extends ViewModel {
     constructor(options) {
         super(options);
-        const {sessionContainer} = options;
-        this._sessionContainer = this.track(sessionContainer);
+        const {client} = options;
+        this._client = this.track(client);
         this._sessionStatusViewModel = this.track(new SessionStatusViewModel(this.childOptions({
-            sync: sessionContainer.sync,
-            reconnector: sessionContainer.reconnector,
-            session: sessionContainer.session,
+            sync: client.sync,
+            reconnector: client.reconnector,
+            session: client.session,
         })));
         this._leftPanelViewModel = this.track(new LeftPanelViewModel(this.childOptions({
-            invites: this._sessionContainer.session.invites,
-            rooms: this._sessionContainer.session.rooms
+            invites: this._client.session.invites,
+            rooms: this._client.session.rooms
         })));
         this._settingsViewModel = null;
         this._roomViewModelObservable = null;
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ export class SessionViewModel extends ViewModel {
     }
 
     get id() {
-        return this._sessionContainer.sessionId;
+        return this._client.sessionId;
     }
 
     start() {
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ export class SessionViewModel extends ViewModel {
     }
 
     _createRoomViewModel(roomId) {
-        const room = this._sessionContainer.session.rooms.get(roomId);
+        const room = this._client.session.rooms.get(roomId);
         if (room) {
             const roomVM = new RoomViewModel(this.childOptions({room}));
             roomVM.load();
@@ -175,12 +175,12 @@ export class SessionViewModel extends ViewModel {
     _createUnknownRoomViewModel(roomIdOrAlias) {
         return new UnknownRoomViewModel(this.childOptions({
             roomIdOrAlias,
-            session: this._sessionContainer.session,
+            session: this._client.session,
         }));
     }
 
     async _createArchivedRoomViewModel(roomId) {
-        const room = await this._sessionContainer.session.loadArchivedRoom(roomId);
+        const room = await this._client.session.loadArchivedRoom(roomId);
         if (room) {
             const roomVM = new RoomViewModel(this.childOptions({room}));
             roomVM.load();
@@ -190,11 +190,11 @@ export class SessionViewModel extends ViewModel {
     }
 
     _createInviteViewModel(roomId) {
-        const invite = this._sessionContainer.session.invites.get(roomId);
+        const invite = this._client.session.invites.get(roomId);
         if (invite) {
             return new InviteViewModel(this.childOptions({
                 invite,
-                mediaRepository: this._sessionContainer.session.mediaRepository,
+                mediaRepository: this._client.session.mediaRepository,
             }));
         }
         return null;
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ export class SessionViewModel extends ViewModel {
         }
         if (settingsOpen) {
             this._settingsViewModel = this.track(new SettingsViewModel(this.childOptions({
-                sessionContainer: this._sessionContainer,
+                client: this._client,
             })));
             this._settingsViewModel.load();
         }
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ export class SessionViewModel extends ViewModel {
 
     _roomFromNavigation() {
         const roomId = this.navigation.path.get("room")?.value;
-        const room = this._sessionContainer.session.rooms.get(roomId);
+        const room = this._client.session.rooms.get(roomId);
         return room;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/domain/session/settings/SettingsViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/settings/SettingsViewModel.js
index 9ce340f1..979409b3 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/settings/SettingsViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/settings/SettingsViewModel.js
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ export class SettingsViewModel extends ViewModel {
     constructor(options) {
         super(options);
         this._updateService = options.updateService;
-        const {sessionContainer} = options;
-        this._sessionContainer = sessionContainer;
+        const {client} = options;
+        this._client = client;
         this._sessionBackupViewModel = this.track(new SessionBackupViewModel(this.childOptions({session: this._session})));
         this._closeUrl = this.urlCreator.urlUntilSegment("session");
         this._estimate = null;
@@ -54,12 +54,12 @@ export class SettingsViewModel extends ViewModel {
     }
 
     get _session() {
-        return this._sessionContainer.session;
+        return this._client.session;
     }
 
     async logout() {
         this._isLoggingOut = true;
-        await this._sessionContainer.logout();
+        await this._client.logout();
         this.emitChange("isLoggingOut");
         this.navigation.push("session", true);
     }
diff --git a/src/lib.ts b/src/lib.ts
index 27290fb5..6924bf15 100644
--- a/src/lib.ts
+++ b/src/lib.ts
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-// types need to bootstrap a SessionContainer
-export {SessionContainer, LoadStatus} from "./matrix/SessionContainer.js";
+// types need to bootstrap a Client
+export {Client, LoadStatus} from "./matrix/Client.js";
 export {Session} from "./matrix/Session.js";
 export {Sync} from "./matrix/Sync.js";
 export {Room} from "./matrix/room/Room.js";
diff --git a/src/matrix/SessionContainer.js b/src/matrix/Client.js
similarity index 99%
rename from src/matrix/SessionContainer.js
rename to src/matrix/Client.js
index 677cde34..ec4e041f 100644
--- a/src/matrix/SessionContainer.js
+++ b/src/matrix/Client.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export const LoginFailure = createEnum(
     "Unknown",
 );
 
-export class SessionContainer {
+export class Client {
     constructor({platform, olmPromise, workerPromise}) {
         this._platform = platform;
         this._sessionStartedByReconnector = false;
diff --git a/src/matrix/Session.js b/src/matrix/Session.js
index 49151252..ddb3fdb5 100644
--- a/src/matrix/Session.js
+++ b/src/matrix/Session.js
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ export class Session {
         return this._sessionInfo.userId;
     }
 
-    /** @internal call SessionContainer.logout instead */
+    /** @internal call Client.logout instead */
     async logout(log = undefined) {
         await this._hsApi.logout({log}).response();
     }
diff --git a/src/platform/web/main.js b/src/platform/web/main.js
index 21cc3986..63e9a650 100644
--- a/src/platform/web/main.js
+++ b/src/platform/web/main.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 */
 
 // import {RecordRequester, ReplayRequester} from "./matrix/net/request/replay";
-import {SessionContainer} from "../../matrix/SessionContainer.js";
+import {Client} from "../../matrix/Client.js";
 import {RootViewModel} from "../../domain/RootViewModel.js";
 import {createNavigation, createRouter} from "../../domain/navigation/index.js";
 // Don't use a default export here, as we use multiple entries during legacy build,
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ export async function main(platform) {
         const workerPromise = platform.loadOlmWorker();
 
         const vm = new RootViewModel({
-            createSessionContainer: () => {
-                return new SessionContainer({platform, olmPromise, workerPromise});
+            createClient: () => {
+                return new Client({platform, olmPromise, workerPromise});
             },
             platform,
             // the only public interface of the router is to create urls,