diff --git a/lib/receiver.ex b/lib/receiver.ex
index a76f2e3..202624f 100644
--- a/lib/receiver.ex
+++ b/lib/receiver.ex
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ defmodule Receiver do
           module: module,
           receiver: atom,
           name: atom | registered_name,
-          initial_state: term
+          args: args
         }
 
   @doc """
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ defmodule Receiver do
       end
 
     Agent
-    |> apply(start_function, [initialization_func(attrs), [name: attrs.name]])
+    |> apply(start_function, [initialization_func(self(), attrs), [name: attrs.name]])
     |> invoke_handle_start_callback(module, attrs)
   end
 
@@ -541,7 +541,12 @@ defmodule Receiver do
           on_start | on_start_supervised
   defp invoke_handle_start_callback(on_start_result, module, attrs) do
     with {:ok, pid} <- on_start_result do
-      apply(module, :handle_start, [attrs.receiver, pid, attrs.initial_state])
+      initial_state =
+        receive do
+          {:initial_state, result} -> result
+        end
+
+      apply(module, :handle_start, [attrs.receiver, pid, initial_state])
       {:ok, pid}
     end
   rescue
@@ -557,19 +562,18 @@ defmodule Receiver do
 
   @spec get_start_attrs(module, args, options) :: start_attrs
   defp get_start_attrs(module, args, opts) do
-    task = apply(Task.Supervisor, :async, [Receiver.TaskSup | args])
     receiver = Keyword.get(opts, :as, :receiver)
 
     %{
       module: module,
       receiver: receiver,
       name: Keyword.get(opts, :name, registered_name(module, receiver)),
-      initial_state: Task.await(task)
+      args: args
     }
   end
 
-  @spec initialization_func(start_attrs) :: (() -> state)
-  defp initialization_func(attrs) do
+  @spec initialization_func(pid, start_attrs) :: (() -> state)
+  defp initialization_func(caller, attrs) do
     # If an atom is provided as the `:name` option at `start*` it overrides the `:via` naming pattern,
     # skipping registration with the `Registry`. In this case the process needs to be manually registered
     # on initialization so the PID is associated with the receiver name and registered process name.
@@ -577,8 +581,10 @@ defmodule Receiver do
     # `{:error, {:already_registered, pid}}` and is effectively a noop. We do this from within the
     # initialization function because the calling process will be the one registered. See `Registry.register/3`.
     fn ->
+      task = apply(Task.Supervisor, :async, [Receiver.TaskSup | attrs.args])
       Registry.register(Receiver.Registry, {attrs.module, attrs.receiver}, attrs.name)
-      attrs.initial_state
+      send(caller, {:initial_state, result = Task.await(task)})
+      result
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/test/receiver_test.exs b/test/receiver_test.exs
index 5681370..08ab030 100644
--- a/test/receiver_test.exs
+++ b/test/receiver_test.exs
@@ -9,6 +9,36 @@ defmodule ReceiverTest do
   use ExUnitReceiver, as: :tester, name: Tester
   doctest Receiver
 
+  describe "start functions" do
+    setup do
+      msg = "haven't sent any messages"
+      start_supervised({Receiver, [One, fn -> msg end]})
+      %{msg: msg}
+    end
+
+    property "aren't executed when receiver is already started", %{msg: msg} do
+      check all val <- term() do
+        me = self()
+        {:error, {:already_started, _}} =
+          Receiver.start(One, fn -> send(me, val) end)
+
+        refute_receive(^val, 5)
+
+        {:error, {:already_started, _}} =
+          Receiver.start_link(One, fn -> send(me, val) end)
+
+        refute_receive(^val, 5)
+
+        {:error, {:already_started, _}} =
+          Receiver.start_supervised(One, fn -> send(me, val) end)
+
+        refute_receive(^val, 5)
+
+        assert Receiver.get({One, :receiver}, &(&1)) == msg
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "start/3" do
     test "accepts a callback module and funtion" do
       {:ok, pid} = Receiver.start(One, fn -> %{} end)
@@ -30,6 +60,7 @@ defmodule ReceiverTest do
       )
 
       assert Receiver.whereis({One, :wrong}) == nil
+      assert Receiver.whereis({One, :receiver}) == nil
     end
 
     property "returns an error tuple when a bad callback module is given" do