diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index a63e49d9312..ef3fa7ca764 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2437,6 +2437,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "iroh-quinn",
  "iroh-test",
  "num_cpus",
+ "once_cell",
  "parking_lot",
  "portable-atomic",
  "postcard",
diff --git a/iroh/Cargo.toml b/iroh/Cargo.toml
index 5130f336c26..a8b92488f72 100644
--- a/iroh/Cargo.toml
+++ b/iroh/Cargo.toml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ iroh-io = { version = "0.6.0", features = ["stats"] }
 iroh-metrics = { version = "0.18.0", path = "../iroh-metrics", optional = true }
 iroh-net = { version = "0.18.0", path = "../iroh-net" }
 num_cpus = { version = "1.15.0" }
+once_cell = "1.17.0"
 portable-atomic = "1"
 iroh-docs = { version = "0.18.0", path = "../iroh-docs" }
 iroh-gossip = { version = "0.18.0", path = "../iroh-gossip" }
diff --git a/iroh/src/node.rs b/iroh/src/node.rs
index fc7b9a7522a..669f7ff992b 100644
--- a/iroh/src/node.rs
+++ b/iroh/src/node.rs
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ use iroh_base::key::PublicKey;
 use iroh_blobs::downloader::Downloader;
 use iroh_blobs::store::Store as BaoStore;
 use iroh_docs::engine::Engine;
-
 use iroh_net::{endpoint::LocalEndpointsStream, key::SecretKey, Endpoint};
+use once_cell::sync::OnceCell;
 use quic_rpc::transport::flume::FlumeConnection;
 use quic_rpc::RpcClient;
 use tokio::task::{JoinHandle, JoinSet};
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ pub use protocol::Protocol;
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct Node<D> {
     inner: Arc<NodeInner<D>>,
-    task: Arc<JoinHandle<()>>,
+    task: Arc<OnceCell<JoinHandle<()>>>,
     client: crate::client::MemIroh,
     protocols: ProtocolMap,
     tasks: Arc<Mutex<Option<JoinSet<()>>>>,
@@ -174,8 +174,8 @@ impl<D: BaoStore> Node<D> {
     pub async fn shutdown(self) -> Result<()> {
         self.inner.cancel_token.cancel();
 
-        if let Ok(task) = Arc::try_unwrap(self.task) {
-            task.await?;
+        if let Ok(mut task) = Arc::try_unwrap(self.task) {
+            task.take().expect("cannot be empty").await?;
         }
         if let Some(mut tasks) = self.tasks.lock().unwrap().take() {
             tasks.abort_all();
diff --git a/iroh/src/node/builder.rs b/iroh/src/node/builder.rs
index 10538fb4ee0..effa32e19bc 100644
--- a/iroh/src/node/builder.rs
+++ b/iroh/src/node/builder.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ use quic_rpc::{
     RpcServer, ServiceEndpoint,
 };
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use tokio::{sync::oneshot, task::JoinSet};
+use tokio::task::JoinSet;
 use tokio_util::{sync::CancellationToken, task::LocalPoolHandle};
 use tracing::{debug, error, error_span, info, trace, warn, Instrument};
 
@@ -553,24 +553,9 @@ where
             rt: lp.clone(),
             downloader,
         });
-        let (ready_tx, ready_rx) = oneshot::channel();
-        let task = {
-            let protocols = protocols.clone();
-            let me = endpoint.node_id().fmt_short();
-            let inner = inner.clone();
-            tokio::task::spawn(
-                async move {
-                    // Wait until the protocol builders have run.
-                    ready_rx.await.expect("cannot fail");
-                    Self::run(inner, protocols, self.rpc_endpoint, internal_rpc).await
-                }
-                .instrument(error_span!("node", %me)),
-            )
-        };
-
         let node = Node {
-            inner,
-            task: Arc::new(task),
+            inner: inner.clone(),
+            task: Default::default(),
             client,
             protocols: protocols.clone(),
             tasks: Default::default(),
@@ -581,6 +566,17 @@ where
             protocols.insert(alpn, protocol);
         }
 
+        let task = {
+            let protocols = protocols.clone();
+            let me = endpoint.node_id().fmt_short();
+            let inner = inner.clone();
+            tokio::task::spawn(
+                async move { Self::run(inner, protocols, self.rpc_endpoint, internal_rpc).await }
+                    .instrument(error_span!("node", %me)),
+            )
+        };
+        node.task.set(task).expect("was empty");
+
         let sync = protocols
             .get::<DocsEngine>(DOCS_ALPN)
             .context("docs engine not registered")?;
@@ -593,9 +589,6 @@ where
             tasks.spawn_local(Self::gc_loop(db, sync, gc_period, gc_done_callback));
         }
 
-        // Notify the run task that the protocols are now built.
-        ready_tx.send(()).expect("cannot fail");
-
         // spawn a task that updates the gossip endpoints.
         let mut stream = endpoint.local_endpoints();
         let gossip = protocols.get::<Gossip>(GOSSIP_ALPN);