diff --git a/app/app.go b/app/app.go
index 93af876..e2c365a 100644
--- a/app/app.go
+++ b/app/app.go
@@ -417,7 +417,8 @@ func (app *application) ConfigureConnections(onion string, listen bool, peers bo
 
 
 		app.eventBuses[profile.GetOnion()].Publish(event.NewEventList(event.ResumeRetries))
-		profile.StartConnections(peers, servers)
+		// do this in the background, for large contact lists it can take a long time...
+		go profile.StartConnections(peers, servers)
 	}
 }