diff --git a/src/bitcoind.cpp b/src/bitcoind.cpp
index 374678310c..f3844e9d47 100644
--- a/src/bitcoind.cpp
+++ b/src/bitcoind.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,12 @@ bool AppInit(int argc, char* argv[])
             return false;
 #endif // HAVE_DECL_DAEMON
         }
-
+        // Lock data directory after daemonization
+        if (!AppInitLockDataDirectory())
+        {
+            // If locking the data directory failed, exit immediately
+            exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        }
         fRet = AppInitMain(threadGroup, scheduler);
     }
     catch (const std::exception& e) {
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 1e85642019..d9b98be739 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1170,13 +1170,13 @@ bool AppInitSanityChecks()
         return InitError(strprintf(_("Initialization sanity check failed. %s is shutting down."), _(PACKAGE_NAME)));
 
     // Probe the data directory lock to give an early error message, if possible
+    // We cannot hold the data directory lock here, as the forking for daemon() hasn't yet happened,
+    // and a fork will cause weird behavior to it.
     return LockDataDirectory(true);
 }
 
-bool AppInitMain(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& scheduler)
+bool AppInitLockDataDirectory()
 {
-    const CChainParams& chainparams = Params();
-    // ********************************************************* Step 4a: application initialization
     // After daemonization get the data directory lock again and hold on to it until exit
     // This creates a slight window for a race condition to happen, however this condition is harmless: it
     // will at most make us exit without printing a message to console.
@@ -1184,7 +1184,13 @@ bool AppInitMain(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& scheduler)
         // Detailed error printed inside LockDataDirectory
         return false;
     }
+    return true;
+}
 
+bool AppInitMain(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& scheduler)
+{
+    const CChainParams& chainparams = Params();
+    // ********************************************************* Step 4a: application initialization
 #ifndef WIN32
     CreatePidFile(GetPidFile(), getpid());
 #endif
diff --git a/src/init.h b/src/init.h
index 8222794374..a0a824738c 100644
--- a/src/init.h
+++ b/src/init.h
@@ -27,27 +27,33 @@ void InitLogging();
 void InitParameterInteraction();
 
 /** Initialize bitcoin core: Basic context setup.
- *  @note This can be done before daemonization.
+ *  @note This can be done before daemonization. Do not call Shutdown() if this function fails.
  *  @pre Parameters should be parsed and config file should be read.
  */
 bool AppInitBasicSetup();
 /**
  * Initialization: parameter interaction.
- * @note This can be done before daemonization.
+ * @note This can be done before daemonization. Do not call Shutdown() if this function fails.
  * @pre Parameters should be parsed and config file should be read, AppInitBasicSetup should have been called.
  */
 bool AppInitParameterInteraction();
 /**
  * Initialization sanity checks: ecc init, sanity checks, dir lock.
- * @note This can be done before daemonization.
+ * @note This can be done before daemonization. Do not call Shutdown() if this function fails.
  * @pre Parameters should be parsed and config file should be read, AppInitParameterInteraction should have been called.
  */
 bool AppInitSanityChecks();
 /**
- * Bitcoin core main initialization.
- * @note This should only be done after daemonization.
+ * Lock bitcoin core data directory.
+ * @note This should only be done after daemonization. Do not call Shutdown() if this function fails.
  * @pre Parameters should be parsed and config file should be read, AppInitSanityChecks should have been called.
  */
+bool AppInitLockDataDirectory();
+/**
+ * Bitcoin core main initialization.
+ * @note This should only be done after daemonization. Call Shutdown() if this function fails.
+ * @pre Parameters should be parsed and config file should be read, AppInitLockDataDirectory should have been called.
+ */
 bool AppInitMain(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& scheduler);
 
 /** The help message mode determines what help message to show */
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
index 8a745cadce..4a4116c670 100644
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -178,6 +178,10 @@ class BitcoinCore: public QObject
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
     explicit BitcoinCore();
+    /** Basic initialization, before starting initialization/shutdown thread.
+     * Return true on success.
+     */
+    static bool baseInitialize();
 
 public Q_SLOTS:
     void initialize();
@@ -270,26 +274,32 @@ void BitcoinCore::handleRunawayException(const std::exception *e)
     Q_EMIT runawayException(QString::fromStdString(GetWarnings("gui")));
 }
 
+bool BitcoinCore::baseInitialize()
+{
+    if (!AppInitBasicSetup())
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (!AppInitParameterInteraction())
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (!AppInitSanityChecks())
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (!AppInitLockDataDirectory())
+    {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+}
+
 void BitcoinCore::initialize()
 {
     try
     {
         qDebug() << __func__ << ": Running initialization in thread";
-        if (!AppInitBasicSetup())
-        {
-            Q_EMIT initializeResult(false);
-            return;
-        }
-        if (!AppInitParameterInteraction())
-        {
-            Q_EMIT initializeResult(false);
-            return;
-        }
-        if (!AppInitSanityChecks())
-        {
-            Q_EMIT initializeResult(false);
-            return;
-        }
         bool rv = AppInitMain(threadGroup, scheduler);
         Q_EMIT initializeResult(rv);
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
@@ -689,16 +699,26 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     if (GetBoolArg("-splash", DEFAULT_SPLASHSCREEN) && !GetBoolArg("-min", false))
         app.createSplashScreen(networkStyle.data());
 
+    int rv = EXIT_SUCCESS;
     try
     {
         app.createWindow(networkStyle.data());
-        app.requestInitialize();
+        // Perform base initialization before spinning up initialization/shutdown thread
+        // This is acceptable because this function only contains steps that are quick to execute,
+        // so the GUI thread won't be held up.
+        if (BitcoinCore::baseInitialize()) {
+            app.requestInitialize();
 #if defined(Q_OS_WIN) && QT_VERSION >= 0x050000
-        WinShutdownMonitor::registerShutdownBlockReason(QObject::tr("%1 didn't yet exit safely...").arg(QObject::tr(PACKAGE_NAME)), (HWND)app.getMainWinId());
+            WinShutdownMonitor::registerShutdownBlockReason(QObject::tr("%1 didn't yet exit safely...").arg(QObject::tr(PACKAGE_NAME)), (HWND)app.getMainWinId());
 #endif
-        app.exec();
-        app.requestShutdown();
-        app.exec();
+            app.exec();
+            app.requestShutdown();
+            app.exec();
+            rv = app.getReturnValue();
+        } else {
+            // A dialog with detailed error will have been shown by InitError()
+            rv = EXIT_FAILURE;
+        }
     } catch (const std::exception& e) {
         PrintExceptionContinue(&e, "Runaway exception");
         app.handleRunawayException(QString::fromStdString(GetWarnings("gui")));
@@ -706,6 +726,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         PrintExceptionContinue(NULL, "Runaway exception");
         app.handleRunawayException(QString::fromStdString(GetWarnings("gui")));
     }
-    return app.getReturnValue();
+    return rv;
 }
 #endif // BITCOIN_QT_TEST