diff --git a/src/main/scala/cromwell/engine/workflow/WorkflowActor.scala b/src/main/scala/cromwell/engine/workflow/WorkflowActor.scala
index 75a3be386cb..5429a86e017 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/cromwell/engine/workflow/WorkflowActor.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/cromwell/engine/workflow/WorkflowActor.scala
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ case class WorkflowActor(workflow: WorkflowDescriptor, backend: Backend)
     }
   }
 
-  private def initializeExecutionStore(startMode: StartMode): Unit = {
+  private def initializeExecutionStore(startMode: StartMode): Future[Unit] = {
     val initializationCode = startMode.runInitialization(this)
     val futureCaches = for {
       _ <- initializationCode
@@ -320,6 +320,9 @@ case class WorkflowActor(workflow: WorkflowDescriptor, backend: Backend)
       case Failure(t) =>
         self ! AsyncFailure(t)
     }
+
+    // "Lose" the actual value on purpose, the caller doesn't care/need to know about it
+    futureCaches map { _ => () }
   }
 
   private def initializeWorkflow: Try[HostInputs] = backend.initializeForWorkflow(workflow)
@@ -340,7 +343,7 @@ case class WorkflowActor(workflow: WorkflowDescriptor, backend: Backend)
   when(WorkflowSubmitted) {
     case Event(startMode: StartMode, _) =>
       logger.info(s"$startMode message received")
-      initializeExecutionStore(startMode)
+      initializeExecutionStore(startMode) pipeTo sender()
       stay()
     case Event(CachesCreated(startMode), data) =>
       logger.info(s"ExecutionStoreCreated($startMode) message received")
diff --git a/src/main/scala/cromwell/engine/workflow/WorkflowManagerActor.scala b/src/main/scala/cromwell/engine/workflow/WorkflowManagerActor.scala
index 24ef523c22d..00c992e20da 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/cromwell/engine/workflow/WorkflowManagerActor.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/cromwell/engine/workflow/WorkflowManagerActor.scala
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ package cromwell.engine.workflow
 import akka.actor.FSM.SubscribeTransitionCallBack
 import akka.actor.{Actor, ActorRef, Props}
 import akka.event.{Logging, LoggingReceive}
-import akka.pattern.pipe
+import akka.pattern.{pipe, ask}
 import com.typesafe.config.ConfigFactory
 import cromwell.binding
 import cromwell.binding._
@@ -243,15 +243,14 @@ class WorkflowManagerActor(backend: Backend) extends Actor with CromwellActor {
                              maybeWorkflowId: Option[WorkflowId]): Future[WorkflowId] = {
     val workflowId: WorkflowId = maybeWorkflowId.getOrElse(WorkflowId.randomId())
     log.info(s"$tag submitWorkflow input id = $maybeWorkflowId, effective id = $workflowId")
+    val isRestart = maybeWorkflowId.isDefined
+
     val futureId = for {
       descriptor <- Future.fromTry(Try(new WorkflowDescriptor(workflowId, source)))
       workflowActor = context.actorOf(WorkflowActor.props(descriptor, backend), s"WorkflowActor-$workflowId")
       _ <- Future.fromTry(workflowStore.insert(workflowId, workflowActor))
-    } yield {
-      val isRestart = maybeWorkflowId.isDefined
-      workflowActor ! (if (isRestart) Restart else Start)
-      workflowId
-    }
+      _ <- workflowActor ? (if (isRestart) Restart else Start)
+    } yield workflowId
 
     futureId onFailure {
       case e =>