diff --git a/modules/modules.go b/modules/modules.go
index f9ebb89..f3ed836 100644
--- a/modules/modules.go
+++ b/modules/modules.go
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	startComplete = abool.NewBool(false)
-
 	modulesLock  sync.Mutex
 	modules      = make(map[string]*Module)
 	modulesOrder []*Module
diff --git a/modules/modules_test.go b/modules/modules_test.go
index 20e8236..2a53b49 100644
--- a/modules/modules_test.go
+++ b/modules/modules_test.go
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	modules = make(map[string]*Module)
 	modulesOrder = make([]*Module, 0)
 	startComplete.UnSet()
+	startCompleteSignal = make(chan struct{})
 
 	// test prep error
 	Register("prepfail", testFail, testStart("prepfail"), testStop("prepfail"))
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	modules = make(map[string]*Module)
 	modulesOrder = make([]*Module, 0)
 	startComplete.UnSet()
+	startCompleteSignal = make(chan struct{})
 
 	// test prep clean exit
 	Register("prepcleanexit", testCleanExit, testStart("prepcleanexit"), testStop("prepcleanexit"))
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@ func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	modules = make(map[string]*Module)
 	modulesOrder = make([]*Module, 0)
 	startComplete.UnSet()
+	startCompleteSignal = make(chan struct{})
 
 	// test invalid dependency
 	Register("database", testPrep, testStart("database"), testStop("database"), "invalid")
@@ -131,6 +134,7 @@ func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	modules = make(map[string]*Module)
 	modulesOrder = make([]*Module, 0)
 	startComplete.UnSet()
+	startCompleteSignal = make(chan struct{})
 
 	// test dependency loop
 	Register("database", testPrep, testStart("database"), testStop("database"), "helper")
@@ -144,6 +148,7 @@ func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	modules = make(map[string]*Module)
 	modulesOrder = make([]*Module, 0)
 	startComplete.UnSet()
+	startCompleteSignal = make(chan struct{})
 
 	// test failing module start
 	Register("startfail", testPrep, testFail, testStop("startfail"))
@@ -156,6 +161,7 @@ func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	modules = make(map[string]*Module)
 	modulesOrder = make([]*Module, 0)
 	startComplete.UnSet()
+	startCompleteSignal = make(chan struct{})
 
 	// test failing module stop
 	Register("stopfail", testPrep, testStart("stopfail"), testFail)
@@ -172,6 +178,7 @@ func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	modules = make(map[string]*Module)
 	modulesOrder = make([]*Module, 0)
 	startComplete.UnSet()
+	startCompleteSignal = make(chan struct{})
 
 	// test help flag
 	helpFlag = true
diff --git a/modules/start.go b/modules/start.go
index cc3290a..f059979 100644
--- a/modules/start.go
+++ b/modules/start.go
@@ -6,8 +6,31 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/Safing/portbase/log"
+	"github.com/tevino/abool"
 )
 
+var (
+	startComplete       = abool.NewBool(false)
+	startCompleteSignal = make(chan struct{})
+)
+
+// markStartComplete marks the startup as completed.
+func markStartComplete() {
+	if startComplete.SetToIf(false, true) {
+		close(startCompleteSignal)
+	}
+}
+
+// StartCompleted returns whether starting has completed.
+func StartCompleted() bool {
+	return startComplete.IsSet()
+}
+
+// WaitForStartCompletion returns as soon as starting has completed.
+func WaitForStartCompletion() <-chan struct{} {
+	return startCompleteSignal
+}
+
 // Start starts all modules in the correct order. In case of an error, it will automatically shutdown again.
 func Start() error {
 	modulesLock.Lock()
@@ -44,8 +67,12 @@ func Start() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	startComplete.Set()
+	// complete startup
 	log.Infof("modules: started %d modules", len(modules))
+	if startComplete.SetToIf(false, true) {
+		close(startCompleteSignal)
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }