diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/licensed_features.ts b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/licensed_features.ts
index f709dd529e375..f16fcac900683 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/licensed_features.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/licensed_features.ts
@@ -54,17 +54,23 @@ export function registerLicensedFeatures(licensingPlugin: LicensingPluginSetup)
 }
 
 let licensingPluginStart: LicensingPluginStart;
-export function setLicensingPluginStart(licensingPlugin: LicensingPluginStart) {
-  licensingPluginStart = licensingPlugin;
-  licensingPluginStart.license$.subscribe((license: ILicense) => {
-    const gold = license.check(APP_ID, 'gold');
-    isGoldPlus = gold.state === 'valid';
 
-    const enterprise = license.check(APP_ID, 'enterprise');
-    isEnterprisePlus = enterprise.state === 'valid';
+function updateLicenseState(license: ILicense) {
+  const gold = license.check(APP_ID, 'gold');
+  isGoldPlus = gold.state === 'valid';
+
+  const enterprise = license.check(APP_ID, 'enterprise');
+  isEnterprisePlus = enterprise.state === 'valid';
+
+  licenseId = license.uid;
+}
+
+export async function setLicensingPluginStart(licensingPlugin: LicensingPluginStart) {
+  const license = await licensingPlugin.refresh();
+  updateLicenseState(license);
 
-    licenseId = license.uid;
-  });
+  licensingPluginStart = licensingPlugin;
+  licensingPluginStart.license$.subscribe(updateLicenseState);
 }
 
 export function notifyLicensedFeatureUsage(licensedFeature: LICENSED_FEATURES) {
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/plugin.ts b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/plugin.ts
index 8bffea3ce5a87..b5340f4e31068 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/plugin.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/maps/public/plugin.ts
@@ -158,8 +158,8 @@ export class MapsPlugin
     });
   }
 
-  public start(core: CoreStart, plugins: MapsPluginStartDependencies): MapsStartApi {
-    setLicensingPluginStart(plugins.licensing);
+  public async start(core: CoreStart, plugins: MapsPluginStartDependencies): Promise<MapsStartApi> {
+    await setLicensingPluginStart(plugins.licensing);
     plugins.uiActions.addTriggerAction(VISUALIZE_GEO_FIELD_TRIGGER, visualizeGeoFieldAction);
     setStartServices(core, plugins);
     // unregisters the OSS alias