diff --git a/Assets/Mirror/Runtime/NetworkManager.cs b/Assets/Mirror/Runtime/NetworkManager.cs
index 78a2f42f0b..2c2a90be7e 100644
--- a/Assets/Mirror/Runtime/NetworkManager.cs
+++ b/Assets/Mirror/Runtime/NetworkManager.cs
@@ -188,9 +188,9 @@ public virtual void OnValidate()
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// virtual so that inheriting classes' Awake() can call base.Awake() too
+        /// virtual so that inheriting classes' Start() can call base.Start() too
         /// </summary>
-        public virtual void Awake()
+        public virtual void Start()
         {
             Debug.Log("Thank you for using Mirror! https://mirror-networking.com");
 
@@ -202,13 +202,7 @@ public virtual void Awake()
 
             // setup OnSceneLoaded callback
             SceneManager.sceneLoaded += OnSceneLoaded;
-        }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// virtual so that inheriting classes' Start() can call base.Start() too
-        /// </summary>
-        public virtual void Start()
-        {
             // headless mode? then start the server
             // can't do this in Awake because Awake is for initialization.
             // some transports might not be ready until Start.
@@ -246,7 +240,6 @@ bool IsServerOnlineSceneChangeNeeded()
         void SetupServer()
         {
             if (LogFilter.Debug) Debug.Log("NetworkManager SetupServer");
-            Initialize();
 
             ConfigureServerFrameRate();
 
@@ -316,8 +309,6 @@ public void StartClient(string serverIp)
         {
             mode = NetworkManagerMode.ClientOnly;
 
-            Initialize();
-
             isNetworkActive = true;
 
             RegisterClientMessages();
@@ -342,9 +333,6 @@ public void StartClient(string serverIp)
         public void StartClient(Uri uri)
         {
             mode = NetworkManagerMode.ClientOnly;
-
-            Initialize();
-
             isNetworkActive = true;
 
             RegisterClientMessages();
diff --git a/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/ClientServerTests.cs b/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/ClientServerTests.cs
index 76b76cac56..c24b9b4e3b 100644
--- a/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/ClientServerTests.cs
+++ b/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/ClientServerTests.cs
@@ -23,10 +23,9 @@ public void SetupServer()
             manager.server = networkManagerGo.GetComponent<NetworkServer>();
             server = manager.server;
             client = manager.client;
-
+            manager.startOnHeadless = false;
             manager.autoCreatePlayer = false;
             
-            manager.StartServer();
         }
 
         public void SetupClient(string hostname = "localhost")
diff --git a/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/FlagsTests.cs b/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/FlagsTests.cs
index 0b5bbafe9a..499fdc29a3 100644
--- a/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/FlagsTests.cs
+++ b/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/FlagsTests.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+using System.Collections;
 using NUnit.Framework;
 using UnityEngine;
+using UnityEngine.TestTools;
 
 namespace Mirror.Tests
 {
@@ -45,10 +47,15 @@ public class FlagsTests : ClientServerTests
         SampleBehavior behavior2;
         Flags flags;
 
-        [SetUp]
-        public void SetupNetworkServer()
+        [UnitySetUp]
+        public IEnumerator SetupNetworkServer()
         {
+
             SetupServer();
+            // wait for manager to initialize
+            yield return null;
+
+            manager.StartServer();
 
             playerGO = new GameObject();
             playerGO.AddComponent<NetworkIdentity>();
diff --git a/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/HostTests.cs b/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/HostTests.cs
index c483d738cd..14813fad2e 100644
--- a/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/HostTests.cs
+++ b/Assets/Mirror/Tests/Play/HostTests.cs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ public IEnumerator SetupHost()
 
             manager.StartHost();
 
+
             playerGO = new GameObject();
             identity = playerGO.AddComponent<NetworkIdentity>();
             component = playerGO.AddComponent<T>();