diff --git a/lib/base/configobject.cpp b/lib/base/configobject.cpp
index f155af3ba..616aee8d5 100644
--- a/lib/base/configobject.cpp
+++ b/lib/base/configobject.cpp
@@ -374,6 +374,14 @@ void ConfigObject::Start(bool runtimeCreated)
 	SetStartCalled(true);
 }
 
+void ConfigObject::PreActivate(void)
+{
+	CONTEXT("Setting 'active' to true for object '" + GetName() + "' of type '" + GetReflectionType()->GetName() + "'");
+
+	ASSERT(!IsActive());
+	SetActive(true, true);
+}
+
 void ConfigObject::Activate(bool runtimeCreated)
 {
 	CONTEXT("Activating object '" + GetName() + "' of type '" + GetReflectionType()->GetName() + "'");
@@ -384,8 +392,6 @@ void ConfigObject::Activate(bool runtimeCreated)
 		Start(runtimeCreated);
 
 		ASSERT(GetStartCalled());
-		ASSERT(!IsActive());
-		SetActive(true, true);
 
 		if (GetHAMode() == HARunEverywhere)
 			SetAuthority(true);
diff --git a/lib/base/configobject.hpp b/lib/base/configobject.hpp
index b1f45b6f5..160594143 100644
--- a/lib/base/configobject.hpp
+++ b/lib/base/configobject.hpp
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ public:
 	void Register(void);
 	void Unregister(void);
 
+	void PreActivate(void);
 	void Activate(bool runtimeCreated = false);
 	void Deactivate(bool runtimeRemoved = false);
 	void SetAuthority(bool authority);
diff --git a/lib/config/configitem.cpp b/lib/config/configitem.cpp
index 964ec2026..91a8922f5 100644
--- a/lib/config/configitem.cpp
+++ b/lib/config/configitem.cpp
@@ -597,9 +597,6 @@ bool ConfigItem::ActivateItems(WorkQueue& upq, const std::vector<ConfigItem::Ptr
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (!silent)
-		Log(LogInformation, "ConfigItem", "Triggering Start signal for config items");
-
 	for (const ConfigItem::Ptr& item : newItems) {
 		if (!item->m_Object)
 			continue;
@@ -609,6 +606,29 @@ bool ConfigItem::ActivateItems(WorkQueue& upq, const std::vector<ConfigItem::Ptr
 		if (object->IsActive())
 			continue;
 
+#ifdef I2_DEBUG
+		Log(LogDebug, "ConfigItem")
+		    << "Setting 'active' to true for object '" << object->GetName() << "' of type '" << object->GetReflectionType()->GetName() << "'";
+#endif /* I2_DEBUG */
+		upq.Enqueue(boost::bind(&ConfigObject::PreActivate, object));
+	}
+
+	upq.Join();
+
+	if (upq.HasExceptions()) {
+		upq.ReportExceptions("ConfigItem");
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	if (!silent)
+		Log(LogInformation, "ConfigItem", "Triggering Start signal for config items");
+
+	for (const ConfigItem::Ptr& item : newItems) {
+		if (!item->m_Object)
+			continue;
+
+		ConfigObject::Ptr object = item->m_Object;
+
 #ifdef I2_DEBUG
 		Log(LogDebug, "ConfigItem")
 		    << "Activating object '" << object->GetName() << "' of type '" << object->GetReflectionType()->GetName() << "'";