diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 39c3831680..12e064b165 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -199,6 +199,12 @@ int main(int pArgC, char *pArgV[])
         return 0;
     }
 
+    // Initialise the GUI version of OpenCOR
+
+    QString appDate = QString();
+
+    OpenCOR::initApplication(&appDate);
+
     // Create and show our splash screen, if we are not in debug mode
 
 #ifndef QT_DEBUG
@@ -209,12 +215,6 @@ int main(int pArgC, char *pArgV[])
     guiApp->processEvents();
 #endif
 
-    // Initialise the GUI version of OpenCOR
-
-    QString appDate = QString();
-
-    OpenCOR::initApplication(&appDate);
-
     // Check whether we want to check for new versions at startup and, if so,
     // whether a new version of OpenCOR is available