diff --git a/core/boot.js b/core/boot.js
index 0e6b813b24..57fcd0f273 100644
--- a/core/boot.js
+++ b/core/boot.js
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@
 // - As we manage to break the codebase down into distinct components for e.g. the frontend, their boot logic can be offloaded to them
 // - app.js is separate as the first example of each component having it's own app.js file colocated with it, instead of inside of server/web
 
-const updateCheck = require('./server/update-check');
-
 // IMPORTANT: The only global requires here should be overrides + debug so we can monitor timings with DEBUG=ghost:boot* node ghost
 require('./server/overrides');
 const debug = require('@tryghost/debug')('boot');
@@ -209,6 +207,7 @@ async function initBackgroundServices({config}) {
     const themeService = require('./server/services/themes');
     themeService.loadInactiveThemes();
 
+    const updateCheck = require('./server/update-check');
     updateCheck.scheduleRecurringJobs();
 
     debug('End: initBackgroundServices');