diff --git a/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit.erl b/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit.erl
index 915d18230b11..525b1db835ac 100644
--- a/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit.erl
+++ b/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit.erl
@@ -65,6 +65,13 @@
                     {requires,    pre_boot},
                     {enables,     external_infrastructure}]}).
 
+-rabbit_boot_step({rabbit_registry,
+                   [{description, "plugin registry"},
+                    {mfa,         {rabbit_sup, start_child,
+                                   [rabbit_registry]}},
+                    {requires,    pre_boot},
+                    {enables,     database}]}).
+
 -rabbit_boot_step({database,
                    [{mfa,         {rabbit_db, init, []}},
                     {requires,    file_handle_cache},
@@ -110,13 +117,6 @@
 -rabbit_boot_step({external_infrastructure,
                    [{description, "external infrastructure ready"}]}).
 
--rabbit_boot_step({rabbit_registry,
-                   [{description, "plugin registry"},
-                    {mfa,         {rabbit_sup, start_child,
-                                   [rabbit_registry]}},
-                    {requires,    external_infrastructure},
-                    {enables,     kernel_ready}]}).
-
 -rabbit_boot_step({rabbit_core_metrics,
                    [{description, "core metrics storage"},
                     {mfa,         {rabbit_sup, start_child,