diff --git a/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-test/MessageHandlers/GetTestRunnerProcessStartInfoMessageHandler.cs b/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-test/MessageHandlers/GetTestRunnerProcessStartInfoMessageHandler.cs
index a95cc3a06..aa7ed47a6 100644
--- a/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-test/MessageHandlers/GetTestRunnerProcessStartInfoMessageHandler.cs
+++ b/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-test/MessageHandlers/GetTestRunnerProcessStartInfoMessageHandler.cs
@@ -55,8 +55,14 @@ namespace Microsoft.DotNet.Tools.Test
 
         private static bool CanHandleMessage(IDotnetTest dotnetTest, Message message)
         {
-            return dotnetTest.State == DotnetTestState.VersionCheckCompleted &&
+            return IsAtAnAcceptableState(dotnetTest) &&
                 message.MessageType == TestMessageTypes.TestExecutionGetTestRunnerProcessStartInfo;
         }
+
+        private static bool IsAtAnAcceptableState(IDotnetTest dotnetTest)
+        {
+            return dotnetTest.State == DotnetTestState.VersionCheckCompleted ||
+                dotnetTest.State == DotnetTestState.InitialState;
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-test/MessageHandlers/TestDiscoveryStartMessageHandler.cs b/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-test/MessageHandlers/TestDiscoveryStartMessageHandler.cs
index f4088f2d6..a791ee776 100644
--- a/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-test/MessageHandlers/TestDiscoveryStartMessageHandler.cs
+++ b/src/dotnet/commands/dotnet-test/MessageHandlers/TestDiscoveryStartMessageHandler.cs
@@ -68,8 +68,13 @@ namespace Microsoft.DotNet.Cli.Tools.Test
 
         private static bool CanHandleMessage(IDotnetTest dotnetTest, Message message)
         {
-            return dotnetTest.State == DotnetTestState.VersionCheckCompleted &&
-                message.MessageType == TestMessageTypes.TestDiscoveryStart;
+            return IsAtAnAcceptableState(dotnetTest) && message.MessageType == TestMessageTypes.TestDiscoveryStart;
+        }
+
+        private static bool IsAtAnAcceptableState(IDotnetTest dotnetTest)
+        {
+            return (dotnetTest.State == DotnetTestState.VersionCheckCompleted ||
+                dotnetTest.State == DotnetTestState.InitialState);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/test/dotnet-test.UnitTests/GivenATestDiscoveryStartMessageHandler.cs b/test/dotnet-test.UnitTests/GivenATestDiscoveryStartMessageHandler.cs
index 36cedfe36..c82effcf9 100644
--- a/test/dotnet-test.UnitTests/GivenATestDiscoveryStartMessageHandler.cs
+++ b/test/dotnet-test.UnitTests/GivenATestDiscoveryStartMessageHandler.cs
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.Dotnet.Tools.Test.Tests
         }
 
         [Fact]
-        public void It_returns_NoOp_if_the_dotnet_test_state_is_not_VersionCheckCompleted()
+        public void It_returns_NoOp_if_the_dotnet_test_state_is_not_VersionCheckCompleted_or_InitialState()
         {
             var dotnetTestMock = new Mock<IDotnetTest>();
             dotnetTestMock.Setup(d => d.State).Returns(DotnetTestState.Terminated);
@@ -84,7 +84,19 @@ namespace Microsoft.Dotnet.Tools.Test.Tests
         }
 
         [Fact]
-        public void It_returns_TestDiscoveryCompleted_when_it_handles_the_message()
+        public void It_returns_TestDiscoveryCompleted_when_it_handles_the_message_and_current_state_is_InitialState()
+        {
+            var dotnetTestMock = new Mock<IDotnetTest>();
+            dotnetTestMock.Setup(d => d.State).Returns(DotnetTestState.InitialState);
+
+            var nextState =
+                _testDiscoveryStartMessageHandler.HandleMessage(dotnetTestMock.Object, _validMessage);
+
+            nextState.Should().Be(DotnetTestState.TestDiscoveryStarted);
+        }
+
+        [Fact]
+        public void It_returns_TestDiscoveryCompleted_when_it_handles_the_message_and_current_state_is_VersionCheckCompleted()
         {
             var nextState =
                 _testDiscoveryStartMessageHandler.HandleMessage(_dotnetTestAtVersionCheckCompletedState, _validMessage);
diff --git a/test/dotnet-test.UnitTests/GivenATestExecutionGetTestRunnerProcessStartInfoMessageHandler.cs b/test/dotnet-test.UnitTests/GivenATestExecutionGetTestRunnerProcessStartInfoMessageHandler.cs
index be0f7555b..cd14ab1c9 100644
--- a/test/dotnet-test.UnitTests/GivenATestExecutionGetTestRunnerProcessStartInfoMessageHandler.cs
+++ b/test/dotnet-test.UnitTests/GivenATestExecutionGetTestRunnerProcessStartInfoMessageHandler.cs
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ namespace Microsoft.Dotnet.Tools.Test.Tests
         }
 
         [Fact]
-        public void It_returns_NoOp_if_the_dotnet_test_state_is_not_VersionCheckCompleted()
+        public void It_returns_NoOp_if_the_dotnet_test_state_is_not_VersionCheckCompleted_or_InitialState()
         {
             var dotnetTestMock = new Mock<IDotnetTest>();
             dotnetTestMock.Setup(d => d.State).Returns(DotnetTestState.Terminated);
@@ -91,7 +91,20 @@ namespace Microsoft.Dotnet.Tools.Test.Tests
         }
 
         [Fact]
-        public void It_returns_TestExecutionSentTestRunnerProcessStartInfo_when_it_handles_the_message()
+        public void It_returns_TestExecutionSentTestRunnerProcessStartInfo_when_it_handles_the_message_and_current_state_is_InitialState()
+        {
+            var dotnetTestMock = new Mock<IDotnetTest>();
+            dotnetTestMock.Setup(d => d.State).Returns(DotnetTestState.InitialState);
+
+            var nextState = _testGetTestRunnerProcessStartInfoMessageHandler.HandleMessage(
+                    dotnetTestMock.Object,
+                    _validMessage);
+
+            nextState.Should().Be(DotnetTestState.TestExecutionSentTestRunnerProcessStartInfo);
+        }
+
+        [Fact]
+        public void It_returns_TestExecutionSentTestRunnerProcessStartInfo_when_it_handles_the_message_and_current_state_is_VersionCheckCompleted()
         {
             var nextState = _testGetTestRunnerProcessStartInfoMessageHandler.HandleMessage(
                     _dotnetTestMock.Object,