diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
index aded4a61..e60a26cd 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/Core.groovy
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ public class Core {
         // options like tunnel length and quantity
         I2PSocketManager socketManager
         keyDat.withInputStream {
-            socketManager = new I2PSocketManagerFactory().createManager(it, i2pOptions["i2cp.tcp.host"], i2pOptions["i2cp.tcp.port"].toInteger(), i2pOptions)
+            socketManager = new I2PSocketManagerFactory().createDisconnectedManager(it, i2pOptions["i2cp.tcp.host"], i2pOptions["i2cp.tcp.port"].toInteger(), i2pOptions)
         }
         socketManager.getDefaultOptions().setReadTimeout(60000)
         socketManager.getDefaultOptions().setConnectTimeout(30000)
@@ -380,6 +380,7 @@ public class Core {
     }
 
     public void startServices() {
+        i2pSession.connect()
         hasherService.start()
         trustService.start()
         trustService.waitForLoad()
diff --git a/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Ready.groovy b/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Ready.groovy
index 0d4caa82..311cdbfb 100644
--- a/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Ready.groovy
+++ b/gui/griffon-app/lifecycle/Ready.groovy
@@ -82,23 +82,23 @@ class Ready extends AbstractLifecycleHandler {
         Core core
         try {
             core = new Core(props, home, metadata["application.version"])
+            Runtime.getRuntime().addShutdownHook({
+                core.shutdown()
+            })
+            core.startServices()
+            application.context.put("muwire-settings", props)
+            application.context.put("core",core)
+            application.getPropertyChangeListeners("core").each {
+                it.propertyChange(new PropertyChangeEvent(this, "core", null, core))
+            }
+
+            core.eventBus.publish(new UILoadedEvent())
         } catch (Exception bad) {
             log.log(Level.SEVERE,"couldn't initialize core",bad)
             JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null, "Couldn't connect to I2P router.  Make sure I2P is running and restart MuWire",
-                "Can't connect to I2P router", JOptionPane.WARNING_MESSAGE)
+                    "Can't connect to I2P router", JOptionPane.WARNING_MESSAGE)
             System.exit(0)
         }
-        Runtime.getRuntime().addShutdownHook({
-            core.shutdown()
-        })
-        core.startServices()
-        application.context.put("muwire-settings", props)
-        application.context.put("core",core)
-        application.getPropertyChangeListeners("core").each {
-            it.propertyChange(new PropertyChangeEvent(this, "core", null, core))
-        }
-
-        core.eventBus.publish(new UILoadedEvent())
     }
     
     private String selectNickname() {
diff --git a/webui/src/main/java/com/muwire/webui/MWStarter.java b/webui/src/main/java/com/muwire/webui/MWStarter.java
index 15cd849d..b37a4269 100644
--- a/webui/src/main/java/com/muwire/webui/MWStarter.java
+++ b/webui/src/main/java/com/muwire/webui/MWStarter.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import java.io.File;
 
 import com.muwire.core.Core;
 import com.muwire.core.MuWireSettings;
+import com.muwire.core.UILoadedEvent;
 
 class MWStarter extends Thread {
     private final MuWireSettings settings;
@@ -22,7 +23,8 @@ class MWStarter extends Thread {
     
     public void run() {
         Core core = new Core(settings, home, version);
-        core.startServices();
         client.setCore(core);
+        core.startServices();
+        core.getEventBus().publish(new UILoadedEvent());
     }
 }
diff --git a/webui/src/main/java/com/muwire/webui/MuWireClient.java b/webui/src/main/java/com/muwire/webui/MuWireClient.java
index 52f9c082..56fcee89 100644
--- a/webui/src/main/java/com/muwire/webui/MuWireClient.java
+++ b/webui/src/main/java/com/muwire/webui/MuWireClient.java
@@ -171,8 +171,6 @@ public class MuWireClient {
         servletContext.setAttribute("trustManager", trustManager);
         servletContext.setAttribute("certificateManager", certificateManager);
         servletContext.setAttribute("uploadManager", uploadManager);
-        
-        core.getEventBus().publish(new UILoadedEvent());
     }
     
     public String getHome() {