diff --git a/eclair-node-gui/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/JavafxBoot.scala b/eclair-node-gui/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/JavafxBoot.scala
index c38040b47f..9152e82cad 100644
--- a/eclair-node-gui/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/JavafxBoot.scala
+++ b/eclair-node-gui/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/JavafxBoot.scala
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import akka.actor.ActorSystem
 import fr.acinq.eclair.gui.{FxApp, FxPreloader}
 import grizzled.slf4j.Logging
 import javafx.application.Application
-
+import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext.Implicits.global
 /**
   * Created by PM on 25/01/2016.
   */
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@ object JavafxBoot extends App with Logging {
 
     if (headless) {
       implicit val system = ActorSystem("eclair-node-gui")
-      new Setup(datadir).bootstrap
+      val setup = new Setup(datadir)
+      setup.bootstrap.map { kit =>
+        Boot.startApiServiceIfEnabled(setup.config, kit)
+      }
     } else {
       System.setProperty("javafx.preloader", classOf[FxPreloader].getName)
       Application.launch(classOf[FxApp], datadir.getAbsolutePath)
diff --git a/eclair-node-gui/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/gui/FxApp.scala b/eclair-node-gui/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/gui/FxApp.scala
index 30f4f1df73..163d8c14a9 100644
--- a/eclair-node-gui/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/gui/FxApp.scala
+++ b/eclair-node-gui/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/gui/FxApp.scala
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ class FxApp extends Application with Logging {
           system.eventStream.subscribe(guiUpdater, classOf[ElectrumEvent])
           pKit.completeWith(setup.bootstrap)
           pKit.future.onComplete {
-            case Success(_) =>
+            case Success(kit) =>
+              Boot.startApiServiceIfEnabled(setup.config, kit)
               Platform.runLater(new Runnable {
                 override def run(): Unit = {
                   val scene = new Scene(mainRoot)
diff --git a/eclair-node/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/Boot.scala b/eclair-node/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/Boot.scala
index 543f3af5e4..45ad4bde24 100644
--- a/eclair-node/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/Boot.scala
+++ b/eclair-node/src/main/scala/fr/acinq/eclair/Boot.scala
@@ -21,10 +21,9 @@ import java.io.File
 import akka.actor.ActorSystem
 import akka.http.scaladsl.Http
 import akka.stream.{ActorMaterializer, BindFailedException}
-import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
+import com.typesafe.config.Config
 import fr.acinq.eclair.api.Service
 import grizzled.slf4j.Logging
-
 import scala.concurrent.{Await, ExecutionContext}
 import scala.util.{Failure, Success}
 
@@ -44,34 +43,44 @@ object Boot extends App with Logging {
     plugins.foreach(_.onSetup(setup))
     setup.bootstrap onComplete {
       case Success(kit) =>
+        startApiServiceIfEnabled(setup.config, kit)
         plugins.foreach(_.onKit(kit))
-        val config = setup.config
-        if(config.getBoolean("api.enabled")){
-          logger.info(s"json API enabled on port=${config.getInt("api.port")}")
-          implicit val materializer = ActorMaterializer()
-          val apiPassword = config.getString("api.password") match {
-            case "" => throw EmptyAPIPasswordException
-            case valid => valid
-          }
-          val apiRoute = new Service {
-            override val actorSystem = system
-            override val mat = materializer
-            override val password = apiPassword
-            override val eclairApi: Eclair = new EclairImpl(kit)
-          }.route
-         Http().bindAndHandle(apiRoute, config.getString("api.binding-ip"), config.getInt("api.port")).onFailure {
-           case _: BindFailedException => onError(TCPBindException(config.getInt("api.port")))
-         }
-        } else {
-          logger.info("json API disabled")
-        }
-
       case Failure(t) => onError(t)
     }
   } catch {
     case t: Throwable => onError(t)
   }
 
+  /**
+    * Starts the http APIs service if enabled in the configuration
+    *
+    * @param config
+    * @param kit
+    * @param system
+    * @param ec
+    */
+  def startApiServiceIfEnabled(config: Config, kit: Kit)(implicit system: ActorSystem, ec: ExecutionContext) = {
+    if(config.getBoolean("api.enabled")){
+      logger.info(s"json API enabled on port=${config.getInt("api.port")}")
+      implicit val materializer = ActorMaterializer()
+      val apiPassword = config.getString("api.password") match {
+        case "" => throw EmptyAPIPasswordException
+        case valid => valid
+      }
+      val apiRoute = new Service {
+        override val actorSystem = system
+        override val mat = materializer
+        override val password = apiPassword
+        override val eclairApi: Eclair = new EclairImpl(kit)
+      }.route
+      Http().bindAndHandle(apiRoute, config.getString("api.binding-ip"), config.getInt("api.port")).onFailure {
+        case _: BindFailedException => onError(TCPBindException(config.getInt("api.port")))
+      }
+    } else {
+      logger.info("json API disabled")
+    }
+  }
+
   def onError(t: Throwable): Unit = {
     val errorMsg = if (t.getMessage != null) t.getMessage else t.getClass.getSimpleName
     System.err.println(s"fatal error: $errorMsg")