diff --git a/ts/background.ts b/ts/background.ts
index 8c166c63ebd3..5c6b0d985c36 100644
--- a/ts/background.ts
+++ b/ts/background.ts
@@ -254,216 +254,8 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
   let challengeHandler: ChallengeHandler | undefined;
   let routineProfileRefresher: RoutineProfileRefresher | undefined;
 
-  window.storage.onready(() => {
-    server = window.WebAPI.connect({
-      ...window.textsecure.storage.user.getWebAPICredentials(),
-      hasStoriesDisabled: window.storage.get('hasStoriesDisabled', false),
-    });
-    window.textsecure.server = server;
-    window.textsecure.messaging = new window.textsecure.MessageSender(server);
-
-    challengeHandler = new ChallengeHandler({
-      storage: window.storage,
-
-      startQueue(conversationId: string) {
-        conversationJobQueue.resolveVerificationWaiter(conversationId);
-      },
-
-      requestChallenge(request) {
-        if (window.SignalCI) {
-          window.SignalCI.handleEvent('challenge', request);
-          return;
-        }
-        window.sendChallengeRequest(request);
-      },
-
-      async sendChallengeResponse(data) {
-        const { messaging } = window.textsecure;
-        if (!messaging) {
-          throw new Error('sendChallengeResponse: messaging is not available!');
-        }
-        await messaging.sendChallengeResponse(data);
-      },
-
-      onChallengeFailed() {
-        // TODO: DESKTOP-1530
-        // Display humanized `retryAfter`
-        window.reduxActions.toast.showToast({
-          toastType: ToastType.CaptchaFailed,
-        });
-      },
-
-      onChallengeSolved() {
-        window.reduxActions.toast.showToast({
-          toastType: ToastType.CaptchaSolved,
-        });
-      },
-
-      setChallengeStatus(challengeStatus) {
-        window.reduxActions.network.setChallengeStatus(challengeStatus);
-      },
-    });
-
-    window.Whisper.events.on('challengeResponse', response => {
-      if (!challengeHandler) {
-        throw new Error('Expected challenge handler to be there');
-      }
-
-      challengeHandler.onResponse(response);
-    });
-
-    window.Signal.challengeHandler = challengeHandler;
-
-    log.info('Initializing MessageReceiver');
-    messageReceiver = new MessageReceiver({
-      server,
-      storage: window.storage,
-      serverTrustRoot: window.getServerTrustRoot(),
-    });
-
-    function queuedEventListener<E extends Event>(
-      handler: (event: E) => Promise<void> | void,
-      track = true
-    ): (event: E) => void {
-      return (event: E): void => {
-        drop(
-          eventHandlerQueue.add(
-            createTaskWithTimeout(async () => {
-              try {
-                await handler(event);
-              } finally {
-                // message/sent: Message.handleDataMessage has its own queue and will
-                //   trigger this event itself when complete.
-                // error: Error processing (below) also has its own queue and
-                // self-trigger.
-                if (track) {
-                  window.Whisper.events.trigger('incrementProgress');
-                }
-              }
-            }, `queuedEventListener(${event.type}, ${event.timeStamp})`)
-          )
-        );
-      };
-    }
-
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'envelopeUnsealed',
-      queuedEventListener(onEnvelopeUnsealed, false)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'envelopeQueued',
-      queuedEventListener(onEnvelopeQueued, false)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'message',
-      queuedEventListener(onMessageReceived, false)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'delivery',
-      queuedEventListener(onDeliveryReceipt)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'contactSync',
-      queuedEventListener(onContactSync)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'sent',
-      queuedEventListener(onSentMessage, false)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'readSync',
-      queuedEventListener(onReadSync)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'viewSync',
-      queuedEventListener(onViewSync)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'read',
-      queuedEventListener(onReadReceipt)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'view',
-      queuedEventListener(onViewReceipt)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'error',
-      queuedEventListener(onError, false)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'decryption-error',
-      queuedEventListener((event: DecryptionErrorEvent): void => {
-        drop(onDecryptionErrorQueue.add(() => onDecryptionError(event)));
-      })
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'invalid-plaintext',
-      queuedEventListener((event: InvalidPlaintextEvent): void => {
-        drop(
-          onDecryptionErrorQueue.add(() => onInvalidPlaintextMessage(event))
-        );
-      })
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'retry-request',
-      queuedEventListener((event: RetryRequestEvent): void => {
-        drop(onRetryRequestQueue.add(() => onRetryRequest(event)));
-      })
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener('empty', queuedEventListener(onEmpty));
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'configuration',
-      queuedEventListener(onConfiguration)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener('typing', queuedEventListener(onTyping));
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'sticker-pack',
-      queuedEventListener(onStickerPack)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'viewOnceOpenSync',
-      queuedEventListener(onViewOnceOpenSync)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'messageRequestResponse',
-      queuedEventListener(onMessageRequestResponse)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'profileKeyUpdate',
-      queuedEventListener(onProfileKeyUpdate)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'fetchLatest',
-      queuedEventListener(onFetchLatestSync)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener('keys', queuedEventListener(onKeysSync));
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'storyRecipientUpdate',
-      queuedEventListener(onStoryRecipientUpdate, false)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'callEventSync',
-      queuedEventListener(onCallEventSync, false)
-    );
-    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
-      'callLogEventSync',
-      queuedEventListener(onCallLogEventSync, false)
-    );
-  });
-
   ourProfileKeyService.initialize(window.storage);
 
-  window.storage.onready(() => {
-    if (!window.storage.get('defaultConversationColor')) {
-      drop(
-        window.storage.put(
-          'defaultConversationColor',
-          DEFAULT_CONVERSATION_COLOR
-        )
-      );
-    }
-  });
-
   window.SignalContext.activeWindowService.registerForChange(isActive => {
     if (!isActive) {
       window.reduxActions?.stories.setHasAllStoriesUnmuted(false);
@@ -477,18 +269,6 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
 
   const reconnectBackOff = new BackOff(FIBONACCI_TIMEOUTS);
 
-  window.storage.onready(() => {
-    strictAssert(server, 'WebAPI not ready');
-
-    senderCertificateService.initialize({
-      server,
-      events: window.Whisper.events,
-      storage: window.storage,
-    });
-
-    areWeASubscriberService.update(window.storage, server);
-  });
-
   const eventHandlerQueue = new PQueue({
     concurrency: 1,
   });
@@ -700,9 +480,6 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
     }
   }
 
-  log.info('Storage fetch');
-  drop(window.storage.fetch());
-
   // We need this 'first' check because we don't want to start the app up any other time
   //   than the first time. And window.storage.fetch() will cause onready() to fire.
   let first = true;
@@ -712,7 +489,217 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
     }
     first = false;
 
-    strictAssert(server !== undefined, 'WebAPI not ready');
+    server = window.WebAPI.connect({
+      ...window.textsecure.storage.user.getWebAPICredentials(),
+      hasStoriesDisabled: window.storage.get('hasStoriesDisabled', false),
+    });
+    window.textsecure.server = server;
+    window.textsecure.messaging = new window.textsecure.MessageSender(server);
+
+    challengeHandler = new ChallengeHandler({
+      storage: window.storage,
+
+      startQueue(conversationId: string) {
+        conversationJobQueue.resolveVerificationWaiter(conversationId);
+      },
+
+      requestChallenge(request) {
+        if (window.SignalCI) {
+          window.SignalCI.handleEvent('challenge', request);
+          return;
+        }
+        window.sendChallengeRequest(request);
+      },
+
+      async sendChallengeResponse(data) {
+        const { messaging } = window.textsecure;
+        if (!messaging) {
+          throw new Error('sendChallengeResponse: messaging is not available!');
+        }
+        await messaging.sendChallengeResponse(data);
+      },
+
+      onChallengeFailed() {
+        // TODO: DESKTOP-1530
+        // Display humanized `retryAfter`
+        window.reduxActions.toast.showToast({
+          toastType: ToastType.CaptchaFailed,
+        });
+      },
+
+      onChallengeSolved() {
+        window.reduxActions.toast.showToast({
+          toastType: ToastType.CaptchaSolved,
+        });
+      },
+
+      setChallengeStatus(challengeStatus) {
+        window.reduxActions.network.setChallengeStatus(challengeStatus);
+      },
+    });
+
+    window.Whisper.events.on('challengeResponse', response => {
+      if (!challengeHandler) {
+        throw new Error('Expected challenge handler to be there');
+      }
+
+      challengeHandler.onResponse(response);
+    });
+
+    window.Signal.challengeHandler = challengeHandler;
+
+    log.info('Initializing MessageReceiver');
+    messageReceiver = new MessageReceiver({
+      server,
+      storage: window.storage,
+      serverTrustRoot: window.getServerTrustRoot(),
+    });
+
+    function queuedEventListener<E extends Event>(
+      handler: (event: E) => Promise<void> | void,
+      track = true
+    ): (event: E) => void {
+      return (event: E): void => {
+        drop(
+          eventHandlerQueue.add(
+            createTaskWithTimeout(async () => {
+              try {
+                await handler(event);
+              } finally {
+                // message/sent: Message.handleDataMessage has its own queue and will
+                //   trigger this event itself when complete.
+                // error: Error processing (below) also has its own queue and
+                // self-trigger.
+                if (track) {
+                  window.Whisper.events.trigger('incrementProgress');
+                }
+              }
+            }, `queuedEventListener(${event.type}, ${event.timeStamp})`)
+          )
+        );
+      };
+    }
+
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'envelopeUnsealed',
+      queuedEventListener(onEnvelopeUnsealed, false)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'envelopeQueued',
+      queuedEventListener(onEnvelopeQueued, false)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'message',
+      queuedEventListener(onMessageReceived, false)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'delivery',
+      queuedEventListener(onDeliveryReceipt)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'contactSync',
+      queuedEventListener(onContactSync)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'sent',
+      queuedEventListener(onSentMessage, false)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'readSync',
+      queuedEventListener(onReadSync)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'viewSync',
+      queuedEventListener(onViewSync)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'read',
+      queuedEventListener(onReadReceipt)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'view',
+      queuedEventListener(onViewReceipt)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'error',
+      queuedEventListener(onError, false)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'decryption-error',
+      queuedEventListener((event: DecryptionErrorEvent): void => {
+        drop(onDecryptionErrorQueue.add(() => onDecryptionError(event)));
+      })
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'invalid-plaintext',
+      queuedEventListener((event: InvalidPlaintextEvent): void => {
+        drop(
+          onDecryptionErrorQueue.add(() => onInvalidPlaintextMessage(event))
+        );
+      })
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'retry-request',
+      queuedEventListener((event: RetryRequestEvent): void => {
+        drop(onRetryRequestQueue.add(() => onRetryRequest(event)));
+      })
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener('empty', queuedEventListener(onEmpty));
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'configuration',
+      queuedEventListener(onConfiguration)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener('typing', queuedEventListener(onTyping));
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'sticker-pack',
+      queuedEventListener(onStickerPack)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'viewOnceOpenSync',
+      queuedEventListener(onViewOnceOpenSync)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'messageRequestResponse',
+      queuedEventListener(onMessageRequestResponse)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'profileKeyUpdate',
+      queuedEventListener(onProfileKeyUpdate)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'fetchLatest',
+      queuedEventListener(onFetchLatestSync)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener('keys', queuedEventListener(onKeysSync));
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'storyRecipientUpdate',
+      queuedEventListener(onStoryRecipientUpdate, false)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'callEventSync',
+      queuedEventListener(onCallEventSync, false)
+    );
+    messageReceiver.addEventListener(
+      'callLogEventSync',
+      queuedEventListener(onCallLogEventSync, false)
+    );
+
+    if (!window.storage.get('defaultConversationColor')) {
+      drop(
+        window.storage.put(
+          'defaultConversationColor',
+          DEFAULT_CONVERSATION_COLOR
+        )
+      );
+    }
+
+    senderCertificateService.initialize({
+      server,
+      events: window.Whisper.events,
+      storage: window.storage,
+    });
+
+    areWeASubscriberService.update(window.storage, server);
 
     void cleanupSessionResets();
 
@@ -1149,6 +1136,10 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
       );
     }
   });
+  // end of window.storage.onready() callback
+
+  log.info('Storage fetch');
+  drop(window.storage.fetch());
 
   function setupAppState({
     mainWindowStats,
@@ -1442,6 +1433,9 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
 
       drop(connect(true));
 
+      // Connect messageReceiver back to websocket
+      afterStart();
+
       // Run storage service after linking
       drop(runStorageService());
     });
@@ -1472,7 +1466,7 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
     );
 
     if (isCoreDataValid && Registration.everDone()) {
-      void connect();
+      drop(connect());
       window.reduxActions.app.openInbox();
     } else {
       window.IPC.readyForUpdates();
@@ -1523,6 +1517,58 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
       resolveOnAppView();
       resolveOnAppView = undefined;
     }
+
+    afterStart();
+  }
+
+  function afterStart() {
+    strictAssert(messageReceiver, 'messageReceiver must be initialized');
+    strictAssert(server, 'server must be initialized');
+
+    log.info('afterStart(): emitting app-ready-for-processing');
+    window.Whisper.events.trigger('app-ready-for-processing');
+
+    const onOnline = () => {
+      log.info('background: online');
+
+      if (!remotelyExpired) {
+        drop(connect());
+      }
+    };
+    window.Whisper.events.on('online', onOnline);
+
+    const onOffline = () => {
+      log.info('background: offline');
+
+      drop(challengeHandler?.onOffline());
+      drop(AttachmentDownloads.stop());
+      drop(messageReceiver?.drain());
+
+      if (connectCount === 0) {
+        log.info('background: offline, never connected, showing inbox');
+
+        drop(onEmpty()); // this ensures that the loading screen is dismissed
+
+        // Switch to inbox view even if contact sync is still running
+        if (
+          window.reduxStore.getState().app.appView === AppViewType.Installer
+        ) {
+          log.info('background: offline, opening inbox');
+          window.reduxActions.app.openInbox();
+        }
+      }
+    };
+    window.Whisper.events.on('offline', onOffline);
+
+    // Because these events may have already fired, we manually call their handlers.
+    // isOnline() will return undefined if neither of these events have been emitted.
+    if (server.isOnline() === true) {
+      onOnline();
+    } else if (server.isOnline() === false) {
+      onOffline();
+    }
+
+    server.registerRequestHandler(messageReceiver);
   }
 
   window.getSyncRequest = (timeoutMillis?: number) => {
@@ -1558,41 +1604,6 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
     );
   }
 
-  window.Whisper.events.on('online', () => {
-    log.info('background: online');
-    strictAssert(
-      messageReceiver !== undefined,
-      'MessageReceiver not initialized'
-    );
-    messageReceiver.reset();
-
-    // The first call to connect should be done via start(), ensuring that the app is
-    // ready first
-    if (!remotelyExpired && connectCount > 0) {
-      drop(connect());
-    }
-  });
-
-  window.Whisper.events.on('offline', () => {
-    log.info('background: offline');
-
-    drop(challengeHandler?.onOffline());
-    drop(AttachmentDownloads.stop());
-    drop(messageReceiver?.drain());
-
-    if (connectCount === 0) {
-      log.info('background: offline, never connected, showing inbox');
-
-      drop(onEmpty()); // this ensures that the loading screen is dismissed
-
-      // Switch to inbox view even if contact sync is still running
-      if (window.reduxStore.getState().app.appView === AppViewType.Installer) {
-        log.info('background: offline, opening inbox');
-        window.reduxActions.app.openInbox();
-      }
-    }
-  });
-
   let connectCount = 0;
   let connecting = false;
   let remotelyExpired = false;
@@ -1675,12 +1686,6 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
 
       void window.Signal.Services.initializeGroupCredentialFetcher();
 
-      strictAssert(
-        messageReceiver !== undefined,
-        'MessageReceiver not initialized'
-      );
-      server.registerRequestHandler(messageReceiver);
-
       drop(
         AttachmentDownloads.start({
           logger: log,
@@ -1690,7 +1695,7 @@ export async function startApp(): Promise<void> {
       if (connectCount === 1) {
         Stickers.downloadQueuedPacks();
         if (!newVersion) {
-          void runStorageService();
+          drop(runStorageService());
         }
       }
 
diff --git a/ts/textsecure/MessageReceiver.ts b/ts/textsecure/MessageReceiver.ts
index 912528bf688e..1e63edf2c9c2 100644
--- a/ts/textsecure/MessageReceiver.ts
+++ b/ts/textsecure/MessageReceiver.ts
@@ -305,6 +305,8 @@ export default class MessageReceiver
 
   private pniIdentityKeyCheckRequired?: boolean;
 
+  private isAppReadyForProcessing: boolean = false;
+
   constructor({ server, storage, serverTrustRoot }: MessageReceiverOptions) {
     super();
 
@@ -352,6 +354,15 @@ export default class MessageReceiver
       maxSize: 30,
       processBatch: this.cacheRemoveBatch.bind(this),
     });
+
+    window.Whisper.events.on('app-ready-for-processing', () => {
+      this.isAppReadyForProcessing = true;
+      this.reset();
+    });
+
+    window.Whisper.events.on('online', () => {
+      this.reset();
+    });
   }
 
   public getAndResetProcessedCount(): number {
@@ -467,27 +478,36 @@ export default class MessageReceiver
   }
 
   public reset(): void {
-    // We always process our cache before processing a new websocket message
-    drop(
-      this.incomingQueue.add(
-        createTaskWithTimeout(
-          async () => this.queueAllCached(),
-          'incomingQueue/queueAllCached',
-          {
-            timeout: 10 * durations.MINUTE,
-          }
-        )
-      )
-    );
-
+    log.info('MessageReceiver.reset');
     this.count = 0;
     this.isEmptied = false;
     this.stoppingProcessing = false;
+
+    if (!this.isAppReadyForProcessing) {
+      log.info('MessageReceiver.reset: not ready yet, returning early');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    drop(this.addCachedMessagesToQueue());
+  }
+
+  private addCachedMessagesToQueue(): Promise<void> {
+    log.info('MessageReceiver.addCachedMessagesToQueue');
+    return this.incomingQueue.add(
+      createTaskWithTimeout(
+        async () => this.queueAllCached(),
+        'incomingQueue/queueAllCached',
+        {
+          timeout: 10 * durations.MINUTE,
+        }
+      )
+    );
   }
 
   public stopProcessing(): void {
     log.info('MessageReceiver.stopProcessing');
     this.stoppingProcessing = true;
+    this.isAppReadyForProcessing = false;
   }
 
   public hasEmptied(): boolean {
diff --git a/ts/textsecure/SocketManager.ts b/ts/textsecure/SocketManager.ts
index 4b0222a9fb95..dd97f3fee6d8 100644
--- a/ts/textsecure/SocketManager.ts
+++ b/ts/textsecure/SocketManager.ts
@@ -499,8 +499,8 @@ export class SocketManager extends EventListener {
     this.credentials = undefined;
   }
 
-  public get isOnline(): boolean {
-    return this.privIsOnline !== false;
+  public get isOnline(): boolean | undefined {
+    return this.privIsOnline;
   }
 
   //
diff --git a/ts/textsecure/WebAPI.ts b/ts/textsecure/WebAPI.ts
index 7547c6e8af04..cc4c78bebdc7 100644
--- a/ts/textsecure/WebAPI.ts
+++ b/ts/textsecure/WebAPI.ts
@@ -1157,7 +1157,7 @@ export type WebAPIType = {
   unregisterRequestHandler: (handler: IRequestHandler) => void;
   onHasStoriesDisabledChange: (newValue: boolean) => void;
   checkSockets: () => void;
-  isOnline: () => boolean;
+  isOnline: () => boolean | undefined;
   onNavigatorOnline: () => Promise<void>;
   onNavigatorOffline: () => Promise<void>;
   onRemoteExpiration: () => Promise<void>;
@@ -1637,7 +1637,7 @@ export function initialize({
       void socketManager.check();
     }
 
-    function isOnline(): boolean {
+    function isOnline(): boolean | undefined {
       return socketManager.isOnline;
     }
 
diff --git a/ts/types/Stickers.ts b/ts/types/Stickers.ts
index e236ee0643de..4f73ce10fd73 100644
--- a/ts/types/Stickers.ts
+++ b/ts/types/Stickers.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import { SignalService as Proto } from '../protobuf';
 import * as log from '../logging/log';
 import type { StickersStateType } from '../state/ducks/stickers';
 import { MINUTE } from '../util/durations';
+import { drop } from '../util/drop';
 
 export type StickerType = {
   packId: string;
@@ -173,6 +174,7 @@ export function getInstalledStickerPacks(): Array<StickerPackType> {
 }
 
 export function downloadQueuedPacks(): void {
+  log.info('downloadQueuedPacks');
   strictAssert(packsToDownload, 'Stickers not initialized');
 
   const ids = Object.keys(packsToDownload);
@@ -180,10 +182,12 @@ export function downloadQueuedPacks(): void {
     const { key, status } = packsToDownload[id];
 
     // The queuing is done inside this function, no need to await here
-    void downloadStickerPack(id, key, {
-      finalStatus: status,
-      suppressError: true,
-    });
+    drop(
+      downloadStickerPack(id, key, {
+        finalStatus: status,
+        suppressError: true,
+      })
+    );
   }
 
   packsToDownload = {};
diff --git a/ts/util/waitForOnline.ts b/ts/util/waitForOnline.ts
index c5fcf84fa32e..42c552b317d6 100644
--- a/ts/util/waitForOnline.ts
+++ b/ts/util/waitForOnline.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import { clearTimeoutIfNecessary } from './clearTimeoutIfNecessary';
 
 export type WaitForOnlineOptionsType = Readonly<{
-  server?: Readonly<{ isOnline: () => boolean }>;
+  server?: Readonly<{ isOnline: () => boolean | undefined }>;
   events?: {
     on: (event: 'online', fn: () => void) => void;
     off: (event: 'online', fn: () => void) => void;