diff --git a/ghost/core/core/boot.js b/ghost/core/core/boot.js
index 258bcfea19..35c99d82c2 100644
--- a/ghost/core/core/boot.js
+++ b/ghost/core/core/boot.js
@@ -273,6 +273,16 @@ async function initDynamicRouting() {
     debug('End: Dynamic Routing');
 }
 
+/**
+ * The app service cannot be loaded unless the frontend is enabled
+ * In future, the logic to determine whether this should be loaded should be in the service loader
+ */
+async function initAppService() {
+    debug('Begin: App Service');
+    const appService = require('./frontend/services/apps');
+    await appService.init();
+}
+
 /**
  * Services are components that make up part of Ghost and need initializing on boot
  * These services should all be part of core, frontend services should be loaded with the frontend
@@ -293,7 +303,6 @@ async function initServices({config}) {
     const slack = require('./server/services/slack');
     const {mega} = require('./server/services/mega');
     const webhooks = require('./server/services/webhooks');
-    const appService = require('./frontend/services/apps');
     const limits = require('./server/services/limits');
     const apiVersionCompatibility = require('./server/services/api-version-compatibility');
     const scheduling = require('./server/adapters/scheduling');
@@ -339,7 +348,6 @@ async function initServices({config}) {
         emailAnalytics.init(),
         mega.listen(),
         webhooks.listen(),
-        appService.init(),
         apiVersionCompatibility.init(),
         scheduling.init({
             apiUrl: urlUtils.urlFor('api', {type: 'admin'}, true)
@@ -488,6 +496,7 @@ async function bootGhost({backend = true, frontend = true, server = true} = {})
 
         if (frontend) {
             await initDynamicRouting();
+            await initAppService();
         }
 
         // TODO: move this to the correct place once we figure out where that is