diff --git a/core/boot.js b/core/boot.js
index 472f20b35c..f3ab630d0f 100644
--- a/core/boot.js
+++ b/core/boot.js
@@ -368,9 +368,9 @@ async function bootGhost({backend = true, frontend = true} = {}) {
         // Step 4 - Load Ghost with all its services
         debug('Begin: Load Ghost Services & Apps');
         await initCore({ghostServer, config, bootLogger, frontend});
+        await initServicesForFrontend();
 
         if (frontend) {
-            await initServicesForFrontend();
             await initFrontend();
         }
         const ghostApp = await initExpressApps({frontend, backend});
diff --git a/test/e2e-api/admin/themes.test.js b/test/e2e-api/admin/themes.test.js
index aadf41a7cd..cc639ab031 100644
--- a/test/e2e-api/admin/themes.test.js
+++ b/test/e2e-api/admin/themes.test.js
@@ -29,10 +29,7 @@ describe('Themes API', function () {
         // NOTE: this flag should not be here! the URL service re-initialization should be fixed instead
         //       The reason why this init doesn't work without "forceStart" is because during the "restartModeGhostStart"
         //       the routing.routerManager is never called with "start". That's why a full boot is needed
-        await localUtils.startGhost({
-            forceStart: true,
-            frontend: true
-        });
+        await localUtils.startGhost();
         ownerRequest = supertest.agent(config.get('url'));
         await localUtils.doAuth(ownerRequest);
     });