diff --git a/src/connector.c b/src/connector.c
index 3cf780cf..6ac551be 100644
--- a/src/connector.c
+++ b/src/connector.c
@@ -1234,11 +1234,10 @@ static bool setup_upstream(ckpool_t *ckp, cdata_t *cdata)
 
 	cksem_init(&cs->sem);
 	cksem_post(&cs->sem);
-	/* Must succeed on initial connect to upstream pool */
-	if (!connect_upstream(ckp, cs)) {
-		LOGEMERG("Failed initial connect to upstream server %s:%s", cs->url, cs->port);
-		goto out;
-	}
+
+	while (!connect_upstream(ckp, cs))
+		cksleep_ms(5000);
+
 	create_pthread(&pth, urecv_process, ckp);
 	cdata->upstream_sends = create_ckmsgq(ckp, "usender", &usend_process);
 	ret = true;
diff --git a/src/stratifier.c b/src/stratifier.c
index 8c8e82d5..114626c5 100644
--- a/src/stratifier.c
+++ b/src/stratifier.c
@@ -8218,6 +8218,8 @@ void *stratifier(void *arg)
 	/* Wait for the generator to have something for us */
 	while (!ckp->proxy && !ckp->generator_ready)
 		cksleep_ms(10);
+	while (ckp->remote && !ckp->connector_ready)
+		cksleep_ms(10);
 
 	if (!ckp->proxy) {
 		if (!generator_checkaddr(ckp, ckp->btcaddress)) {