diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/Awala.kt b/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/Awala.kt
index e463e8e7..324b7566 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/Awala.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/Awala.kt
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 package tech.relaycorp.awaladroid
 
 import android.content.Context
+import kotlinx.coroutines.CompletableDeferred
+import kotlinx.coroutines.TimeoutCancellationException
 import kotlinx.coroutines.coroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
+import kotlinx.coroutines.withTimeout
 import tech.relaycorp.awala.keystores.file.FileCertificateStore
 import tech.relaycorp.awala.keystores.file.FileKeystoreRoot
 import tech.relaycorp.awala.keystores.file.FileSessionPublicKeystore
@@ -15,6 +18,8 @@ import tech.relaycorp.awaladroid.storage.StorageImpl
 import tech.relaycorp.awaladroid.storage.persistence.DiskPersistence
 import tech.relaycorp.relaynet.nodes.EndpointManager
 import java.io.File
+import kotlin.time.Duration
+import kotlin.time.Duration.Companion.seconds
 
 public object Awala {
     internal const val POWEB_PORT = 13276
@@ -39,19 +44,21 @@ public object Awala {
         val fileSessionPublicKeystore = FileSessionPublicKeystore(keystoreRoot)
         val fileCertificateStore = FileCertificateStore(keystoreRoot)
 
-        this.context = AwalaContext(
-            StorageImpl(DiskPersistence(context.filesDir.path.toString())),
-            GatewayClientImpl(
-                serviceInteractorBuilder = { ServiceInteractor(context) },
+        contextDeferred.complete(
+            AwalaContext(
+                StorageImpl(DiskPersistence(context.filesDir.path.toString())),
+                GatewayClientImpl(
+                    serviceInteractorBuilder = { ServiceInteractor(context) },
+                ),
+                EndpointManager(androidPrivateKeyStore, fileSessionPublicKeystore),
+                ChannelManager {
+                    context.getSharedPreferences("awaladroid-channels", Context.MODE_PRIVATE)
+                },
+                androidPrivateKeyStore,
+                fileSessionPublicKeystore,
+                fileCertificateStore,
+                HandleGatewayCertificateChange(androidPrivateKeyStore),
             ),
-            EndpointManager(androidPrivateKeyStore, fileSessionPublicKeystore),
-            ChannelManager {
-                context.getSharedPreferences("awaladroid-channels", Context.MODE_PRIVATE)
-            },
-            androidPrivateKeyStore,
-            fileSessionPublicKeystore,
-            fileCertificateStore,
-            HandleGatewayCertificateChange(androidPrivateKeyStore),
         )
 
         coroutineScope {
@@ -62,8 +69,21 @@ public object Awala {
         }
     }
 
-    internal var context: AwalaContext? = null
-    internal fun getContextOrThrow(): AwalaContext = context ?: throw SetupPendingException()
+    internal var contextDeferred: CompletableDeferred<AwalaContext> = CompletableDeferred()
+
+    internal fun getContextOrThrow(): AwalaContext = try {
+        contextDeferred.getCompleted()
+    } catch (e: IllegalStateException) {
+        throw SetupPendingException()
+    }
+
+    internal suspend fun awaitContextOrThrow(timeout: Duration = 3.seconds): AwalaContext = try {
+        withTimeout(timeout) {
+            contextDeferred.await()
+        }
+    } catch (e: TimeoutCancellationException) {
+        throw SetupPendingException()
+    }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/background/GatewayCertificateChangeBroadcastReceiver.kt b/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/background/GatewayCertificateChangeBroadcastReceiver.kt
index c22e3367..c1919135 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/background/GatewayCertificateChangeBroadcastReceiver.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/background/GatewayCertificateChangeBroadcastReceiver.kt
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ internal class GatewayCertificateChangeBroadcastReceiver : BroadcastReceiver() {
 
     override fun onReceive(context: Context?, intent: Intent?) {
         CoroutineScope(coroutineContext).launch {
-            Awala.getContextOrThrow().handleGatewayCertificateChange()
+            Awala.awaitContextOrThrow().handleGatewayCertificateChange()
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/background/IncomingParcelBroadcastReceiver.kt b/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/background/IncomingParcelBroadcastReceiver.kt
index c56d7560..d12ddcf2 100644
--- a/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/background/IncomingParcelBroadcastReceiver.kt
+++ b/lib/src/main/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/background/IncomingParcelBroadcastReceiver.kt
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ internal class IncomingParcelBroadcastReceiver : BroadcastReceiver() {
 
     override fun onReceive(context: Context?, intent: Intent?) {
         CoroutineScope(coroutineContext).launch {
-            Awala.getContextOrThrow().gatewayClient.checkForNewMessages()
+            Awala.awaitContextOrThrow().gatewayClient.checkForNewMessages()
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/test/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/AwalaTest.kt b/lib/src/test/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/AwalaTest.kt
index 70c931b2..017dc116 100644
--- a/lib/src/test/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/AwalaTest.kt
+++ b/lib/src/test/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/AwalaTest.kt
@@ -3,13 +3,16 @@ package tech.relaycorp.awaladroid
 import android.content.Context
 import com.nhaarman.mockitokotlin2.spy
 import com.nhaarman.mockitokotlin2.verify
+import kotlinx.coroutines.CoroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
+import kotlinx.coroutines.delay
+import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
+import kotlinx.coroutines.test.UnconfinedTestDispatcher
 import kotlinx.coroutines.test.advanceUntilIdle
 import kotlinx.coroutines.test.runTest
 import org.junit.After
 import org.junit.Assert.assertEquals
 import org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull
-import org.junit.Assert.assertThrows
 import org.junit.Assert.assertTrue
 import org.junit.Before
 import org.junit.Test
@@ -26,6 +29,7 @@ import tech.relaycorp.relaynet.wrappers.nodeId
 import java.io.File
 import java.time.Duration
 import java.time.ZonedDateTime
+import kotlin.time.Duration.Companion.milliseconds
 
 @RunWith(RobolectricTestRunner::class)
 public class AwalaTest {
@@ -33,9 +37,9 @@ public class AwalaTest {
     @After
     public fun tearDownAwala(): Unit = unsetAwalaContext()
 
-    @Test
+    @Test(expected = SetupPendingException::class)
     public fun useBeforeSetup() {
-        assertThrows(SetupPendingException::class.java) { Awala.getContextOrThrow() }
+        Awala.getContextOrThrow()
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -45,6 +49,29 @@ public class AwalaTest {
         Awala.getContextOrThrow()
     }
 
+    @Test(expected = SetupPendingException::class)
+    public fun awaitWithoutSetup(): Unit = runTest {
+        Awala.awaitContextOrThrow(100.milliseconds)
+    }
+
+    @Test(expected = SetupPendingException::class)
+    public fun awaitWithLateSetup(): Unit = runTest {
+        CoroutineScope(UnconfinedTestDispatcher()).launch {
+            delay(200.milliseconds)
+            Awala.setUp(RuntimeEnvironment.getApplication())
+        }
+        Awala.awaitContextOrThrow(100.milliseconds)
+    }
+
+    @Test(expected = SetupPendingException::class)
+    public fun awaitAfterSetup(): Unit = runTest {
+        CoroutineScope(UnconfinedTestDispatcher()).launch {
+            delay(500.milliseconds)
+            Awala.setUp(RuntimeEnvironment.getApplication())
+        }
+        Awala.awaitContextOrThrow(1000.milliseconds)
+    }
+
     @Test
     public fun keystores(): Unit = runTest {
         val androidContext = RuntimeEnvironment.getApplication()
diff --git a/lib/src/test/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/test/AwalaContextUnits.kt b/lib/src/test/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/test/AwalaContextUnits.kt
index 87297c2c..2aa35239 100644
--- a/lib/src/test/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/test/AwalaContextUnits.kt
+++ b/lib/src/test/java/tech/relaycorp/awaladroid/test/AwalaContextUnits.kt
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 package tech.relaycorp.awaladroid.test
 
+import kotlinx.coroutines.CompletableDeferred
 import tech.relaycorp.awaladroid.Awala
 import tech.relaycorp.awaladroid.AwalaContext
 
 internal fun setAwalaContext(context: AwalaContext) {
-    Awala.context = context
+    Awala.contextDeferred = CompletableDeferred(context)
 }
 
 internal fun unsetAwalaContext() {
-    Awala.context = null
+    Awala.contextDeferred = CompletableDeferred()
 }