diff --git a/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts b/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts
index 0176cd92e886e..185b43fcfb709 100644
--- a/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts
+++ b/src/vs/code/electron-main/app.ts
@@ -1196,7 +1196,6 @@ export class CodeApplication extends Disposable {
 
 	private afterWindowOpen(accessor: ServicesAccessor, sharedProcess: SharedProcess): void {
 		const telemetryService = accessor.get(ITelemetryService);
-		const updateService = accessor.get(IUpdateService);
 
 		// Observe shared process for errors
 		this.handleSharedProcessErrors(telemetryService, sharedProcess);
@@ -1212,11 +1211,6 @@ export class CodeApplication extends Disposable {
 			});
 		});
 
-		// Initialize update service
-		if (updateService instanceof Win32UpdateService || updateService instanceof LinuxUpdateService || updateService instanceof DarwinUpdateService) {
-			updateService.initialize();
-		}
-
 		// Start to fetch shell environment (if needed) after window has opened
 		// Since this operation can take a long time, we want to warm it up while
 		// the window is opening.
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/abstractUpdateService.ts b/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/abstractUpdateService.ts
index 73fe6e1ab7acf..42bb9cd047cf8 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/abstractUpdateService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/abstractUpdateService.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { CancellationToken } from 'vs/base/common/cancellation';
 import { Emitter, Event } from 'vs/base/common/event';
 import { IConfigurationService } from 'vs/platform/configuration/common/configuration';
 import { IEnvironmentMainService } from 'vs/platform/environment/electron-main/environmentMainService';
-import { ILifecycleMainService } from 'vs/platform/lifecycle/electron-main/lifecycleMainService';
+import { ILifecycleMainService, LifecycleMainPhase } from 'vs/platform/lifecycle/electron-main/lifecycleMainService';
 import { ILogService } from 'vs/platform/log/common/log';
 import { IProductService } from 'vs/platform/product/common/productService';
 import { IRequestService } from 'vs/platform/request/common/request';
@@ -52,14 +52,17 @@ export abstract class AbstractUpdateService implements IUpdateService {
 		@IRequestService protected requestService: IRequestService,
 		@ILogService protected logService: ILogService,
 		@IProductService protected readonly productService: IProductService
-	) { }
+	) {
+		lifecycleMainService.when(LifecycleMainPhase.AfterWindowOpen)
+			.finally(() => this.initialize());
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * This must be called before any other call. This is a performance
 	 * optimization, to avoid using extra CPU cycles before first window open.
 	 * https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/issues/89784
 	 */
-	async initialize(): Promise<void> {
+	protected async initialize(): Promise<void> {
 		if (!this.environmentMainService.isBuilt) {
 			return; // updates are never enabled when running out of sources
 		}
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/updateService.darwin.ts b/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/updateService.darwin.ts
index c5a8502f8dc4b..8794110bd5a19 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/updateService.darwin.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/updateService.darwin.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export class DarwinUpdateService extends AbstractUpdateService {
 		super(lifecycleMainService, configurationService, environmentMainService, requestService, logService, productService);
 	}
 
-	override async initialize(): Promise<void> {
+	protected override async initialize(): Promise<void> {
 		await super.initialize();
 		this.onRawError(this.onError, this, this.disposables);
 		this.onRawUpdateAvailable(this.onUpdateAvailable, this, this.disposables);
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/updateService.win32.ts b/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/updateService.win32.ts
index caecd71933412..cadd4a0dd7b09 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/updateService.win32.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/update/electron-main/updateService.win32.ts
@@ -71,13 +71,13 @@ export class Win32UpdateService extends AbstractUpdateService {
 		super(lifecycleMainService, configurationService, environmentMainService, requestService, logService, productService);
 	}
 
-	override async initialize(): Promise<void> {
+	protected override async initialize(): Promise<void> {
 		if (this.productService.target === 'user' && await this.nativeHostMainService.isAdmin(undefined)) {
 			this.logService.info('update#ctor - updates are disabled due to running as Admin in user setup');
 			return;
 		}
 
-		super.initialize();
+		await super.initialize();
 	}
 
 	protected buildUpdateFeedUrl(quality: string): string | undefined {