diff --git a/gossipd/gossip.c b/gossipd/gossip.c
index 5a73a5a7d..6bb5e1261 100644
--- a/gossipd/gossip.c
+++ b/gossipd/gossip.c
@@ -1625,12 +1625,11 @@ static struct io_plan *gossip_init(struct daemon_conn *master,
 				   const u8 *msg)
 {
 	struct bitcoin_blkid chain_hash;
-	u16 port;
 	u32 update_channel_interval;
 
 	if (!fromwire_gossipctl_init(
 		daemon, msg, &daemon->broadcast_interval, &chain_hash,
-		&daemon->id, &port, &daemon->globalfeatures,
+		&daemon->id, &daemon->globalfeatures,
 		&daemon->localfeatures, &daemon->wireaddrs, daemon->rgb,
 		daemon->alias, &update_channel_interval, &daemon->no_reconnect)) {
 		master_badmsg(WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_INIT, msg);
@@ -1639,18 +1638,31 @@ static struct io_plan *gossip_init(struct daemon_conn *master,
 	daemon->rstate = new_routing_state(daemon, &chain_hash, &daemon->id,
 					   update_channel_interval * 2);
 
-	setup_listeners(daemon, port);
+	/* Load stored gossip messages */
+	gossip_store_load(daemon->rstate, daemon->rstate->store);
 
 	new_reltimer(&daemon->timers, daemon,
 		     time_from_sec(daemon->rstate->prune_timeout/4),
 		     gossip_refresh_network, daemon);
 
-	/* Load stored gossip messages */
-	gossip_store_load(daemon->rstate, daemon->rstate->store);
+	return daemon_conn_read_next(master->conn, master);
+}
+
+static struct io_plan *gossip_activate(struct daemon_conn *master,
+				       struct daemon *daemon,
+				       const u8 *msg)
+{
+	u16 port;
+
+	if (!fromwire_gossipctl_activate(msg, &port))
+		master_badmsg(WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_ACTIVATE, msg);
+
+	setup_listeners(daemon, port);
 
 	/* OK, we're ready! */
 	daemon_conn_send(&daemon->master,
-			 take(towire_gossipctl_init_reply(NULL)));
+			 take(towire_gossipctl_activate_reply(NULL)));
+
 	return daemon_conn_read_next(master->conn, master);
 }
 
@@ -2271,6 +2283,9 @@ static struct io_plan *recv_req(struct io_conn *conn, struct daemon_conn *master
 	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_INIT:
 		return gossip_init(master, daemon, master->msg_in);
 
+	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_ACTIVATE:
+		return gossip_activate(master, daemon, master->msg_in);
+
 	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_RELEASE_PEER:
 		return release_peer(conn, daemon, master->msg_in);
 
@@ -2326,7 +2341,7 @@ static struct io_plan *recv_req(struct io_conn *conn, struct daemon_conn *master
 		return handle_outpoint_spent(conn, daemon, master->msg_in);
 
 	/* We send these, we don't receive them */
-	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_INIT_REPLY:
+	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_ACTIVATE_REPLY:
 	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_RELEASE_PEER_REPLY:
 	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_RELEASE_PEER_REPLYFAIL:
 	case WIRE_GOSSIP_GETNODES_REPLY:
diff --git a/gossipd/gossip_wire.csv b/gossipd/gossip_wire.csv
index 2c2589228..60e879f14 100644
--- a/gossipd/gossip_wire.csv
+++ b/gossipd/gossip_wire.csv
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ gossipctl_init,3000
 gossipctl_init,,broadcast_interval,u32
 gossipctl_init,,chain_hash,struct bitcoin_blkid
 gossipctl_init,,id,struct pubkey
-# If non-zero, port to listen on.
-gossipctl_init,,port,u16
 gossipctl_init,,gflen,u16
 gossipctl_init,,gfeatures,gflen*u8
 gossipctl_init,,lflen,u16
@@ -21,8 +19,13 @@ gossipctl_init,,update_channel_interval,u32
 # DEVELOPER only
 gossipctl_init,,no_reconnect,bool
 
+# Activate the gossip daemon, so others can connect.
+gossipctl_activate,3025
+# If non-zero, port to listen on.
+gossipctl_activate,,port,u16
+
 # Gossipd->master, I am ready.
-gossipctl_init_reply,3100
+gossipctl_activate_reply,3125
 
 # Master -> gossipd: Optional hint for where to find peer.
 gossipctl_peer_addrhint,3014
diff --git a/lightningd/gossip_control.c b/lightningd/gossip_control.c
index 5928b4f9e..09a322768 100644
--- a/lightningd/gossip_control.c
+++ b/lightningd/gossip_control.c
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ static unsigned gossip_msg(struct subd *gossip, const u8 *msg, const int *fds)
 	switch (t) {
 	/* These are messages we send, not them. */
 	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_INIT:
+	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_ACTIVATE:
 	case WIRE_GOSSIP_GETNODES_REQUEST:
 	case WIRE_GOSSIP_GETROUTE_REQUEST:
 	case WIRE_GOSSIP_GETCHANNELS_REQUEST:
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@ static unsigned gossip_msg(struct subd *gossip, const u8 *msg, const int *fds)
 	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_PEER_IMPORTANT:
 	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_PEER_DISCONNECTED:
 	/* This is a reply, so never gets through to here. */
-	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_INIT_REPLY:
+	case WIRE_GOSSIPCTL_ACTIVATE_REPLY:
 	case WIRE_GOSSIP_GET_UPDATE_REPLY:
 	case WIRE_GOSSIP_GETNODES_REPLY:
 	case WIRE_GOSSIP_GETROUTE_REPLY:
@@ -175,15 +176,6 @@ static unsigned gossip_msg(struct subd *gossip, const u8 *msg, const int *fds)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static void gossip_init_done(struct subd *gossip UNUSED,
-			     const u8 *reply UNUSED,
-			     const int *fds UNUSED,
-			     void *unused UNUSED)
-{
-	/* Break out of loop, so we can begin */
-	io_break(gossip);
-}
-
 /* Create the `gossipd` subdaemon and send the initialization
  * message */
 void gossip_init(struct lightningd *ld)
@@ -217,13 +209,29 @@ void gossip_init(struct lightningd *ld)
 
 	msg = towire_gossipctl_init(
 	    tmpctx, ld->config.broadcast_interval,
-	    &get_chainparams(ld)->genesis_blockhash, &ld->id, ld->portnum,
+	    &get_chainparams(ld)->genesis_blockhash, &ld->id,
 	    get_offered_global_features(tmpctx),
 	    get_offered_local_features(tmpctx), ld->wireaddrs, ld->rgb,
 	    ld->alias, ld->config.channel_update_interval, no_reconnect);
-	subd_req(ld->gossip, ld->gossip, msg, -1, 0, gossip_init_done, NULL);
+	subd_send_msg(ld->gossip, msg);
+}
+
+static void gossip_activate_done(struct subd *gossip UNUSED,
+				 const u8 *reply UNUSED,
+				 const int *fds UNUSED,
+				 void *unused UNUSED)
+{
+	/* Break out of loop, so we can begin */
+	io_break(gossip);
+}
+
+void gossip_activate(struct lightningd *ld)
+{
+	const u8 *msg = towire_gossipctl_activate(NULL, ld->portnum);
+	subd_req(ld->gossip, ld->gossip, take(msg), -1, 0,
+		 gossip_activate_done, NULL);
 
-	/* Wait for init done */
+	/* Wait for activate done */
 	io_loop(NULL, NULL);
 }
 
diff --git a/lightningd/gossip_control.h b/lightningd/gossip_control.h
index ec0683b37..d975da435 100644
--- a/lightningd/gossip_control.h
+++ b/lightningd/gossip_control.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 struct lightningd;
 
 void gossip_init(struct lightningd *ld);
+void gossip_activate(struct lightningd *ld);
 
 void gossipd_notify_spend(struct lightningd *ld,
 			  const struct short_channel_id *scid);
diff --git a/lightningd/lightningd.c b/lightningd/lightningd.c
index 625620131..8ed43d178 100644
--- a/lightningd/lightningd.c
+++ b/lightningd/lightningd.c
@@ -328,6 +328,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/* Now we know our ID, we can set our color/alias if not already. */
 	setup_color_and_alias(ld);
 
+	/* Set up gossip daemon. */
+	gossip_init(ld);
+
 	/* Everything is within a transaction. */
 	db_begin_transaction(ld->wallet->db);
 
@@ -391,9 +394,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		       ld->config.poll_time,
 		       blockheight);
 
-	/* Set up gossip daemon. Needs to be after the initialization of
+	/* Activate gossip daemon. Needs to be after the initialization of
 	 * chaintopology, otherwise we may be asking for uninitialized data. */
-	gossip_init(ld);
+	gossip_activate(ld);
 
 	/* Replay transactions for all running onchainds */
 	onchaind_replay_channels(ld);
diff --git a/lightningd/test/run-find_my_path.c b/lightningd/test/run-find_my_path.c
index 6eca73222..e76d276f3 100644
--- a/lightningd/test/run-find_my_path.c
+++ b/lightningd/test/run-find_my_path.c
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ void   fatal(const char *fmt UNNEEDED, ...)
 /* Generated stub for free_htlcs */
 void free_htlcs(struct lightningd *ld UNNEEDED, const struct channel *channel UNNEEDED)
 { fprintf(stderr, "free_htlcs called!\n"); abort(); }
+/* Generated stub for gossip_activate */
+void gossip_activate(struct lightningd *ld UNNEEDED)
+{ fprintf(stderr, "gossip_activate called!\n"); abort(); }
 /* Generated stub for gossip_init */
 void gossip_init(struct lightningd *ld UNNEEDED)
 { fprintf(stderr, "gossip_init called!\n"); abort(); }