Example chrome extension that reproduces undefined chrome.tabs

background.js

chrome.tabs.onUpdated.addListener(function() {
  window.console.log('updated from background');
});

contentscript.js

chrome.tabs.onUpdated.addListener.addListener(
  function(tabId, changeInfo, tab) {
    window.console.log('updated from contentscript');
  }
);

manifest.json

{
  "name": "My test extension",
  "version": "1",
  "manifest_version": 2,
  "background": {
    "scripts":["background.js"]
  },
  "content_scripts": [
    {
      "matches": ["http://*/*", "https://*/*"],
      "js": ["contentscript.js"]
    }
  ],
  "permissions": [
    "tabs"
  ]
}

I'm having the same issue; do you have a solution?

Having the same issue.

try putting persistent: true under background in your manifest file.

For anyone who comes across this gist: chrome.tabs is not available in a content script by design. Content scripts can access only 4 chrome API so chrome.tabs is only available in a background/popup or other internal extension page that has chrome-extension://<extension-id>/ URL.