diff --git a/cmd/cli/cli.go b/cmd/cli/cli.go
index 75eeb50..7872abd 100644
--- a/cmd/cli/cli.go
+++ b/cmd/cli/cli.go
@@ -1598,7 +1598,7 @@ func selfCheckStatus(s service.Service) (bool, service.Status, error) {
 
 	dir, err := socketDir()
 	if err != nil {
-		mainLog.Load().Error().Err(err).Msg("failed to check ctrld listener status: could not get home directory")
+		mainLog.Load().Error().Err(err).Msg("failed to get ctrld listener status: could not get home directory")
 		return false, status, err
 	}
 	mainLog.Load().Debug().Msg("waiting for ctrld listener to be ready")
@@ -1607,17 +1607,6 @@ func selfCheckStatus(s service.Service) (bool, service.Status, error) {
 		return false, status, errors.New("could not connect to control server")
 	}
 
-	resp, err := cc.post(startedPath, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		mainLog.Load().Error().Err(err).Msg("failed to connect to control server")
-		return false, status, err
-	}
-	defer resp.Body.Close()
-	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK {
-		mainLog.Load().Error().Msg("ctrld listener is not ready")
-		return false, status, errors.New("ctrld listener is not ready")
-	}
-
 	// Not a ctrld upstream, return status as-is.
 	if cfg.FirstUpstream().VerifyDomain() == "" {
 		return true, status, nil
@@ -2261,6 +2250,10 @@ func removeProvTokenFromArgs(sc *service.Config) {
 
 // newSocketControlClient returns new control client after control server was started.
 func newSocketControlClient(s service.Service, dir string) *controlClient {
+	// Return early if service is not running.
+	if status, err := s.Status(); err != nil || status != service.StatusRunning {
+		return nil
+	}
 	bo := backoff.NewBackoff("self-check", logf, 10*time.Second)
 	bo.LogLongerThan = 10 * time.Second
 	ctx := context.Background()
@@ -2270,28 +2263,21 @@ func newSocketControlClient(s service.Service, dir string) *controlClient {
 	defer timeout.Stop()
 
 	// The socket control server may not start yet, so attempt to ping
-	// it until we got a response. For each iteration, check ctrld status
-	// to make sure ctrld is still running.
+	// it until we got a response.
 	for {
-		curStatus, err := s.Status()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil
-		}
-		if curStatus != service.StatusRunning {
-			return nil
-		}
-		if _, err := cc.post("/", nil); err == nil {
+		_, err := cc.post(startedPath, nil)
+		if err == nil {
 			// Server was started, stop pinging.
 			break
 		}
 		// The socket control server is not ready yet, backoff for waiting it to be ready.
 		bo.BackOff(ctx, err)
+
 		select {
 		case <-timeout.C:
 			return nil
 		default:
 		}
-		continue
 	}
 
 	return cc
diff --git a/cmd/cli/dns_proxy.go b/cmd/cli/dns_proxy.go
index fd8a5cc..9f95812 100644
--- a/cmd/cli/dns_proxy.go
+++ b/cmd/cli/dns_proxy.go
@@ -210,12 +210,9 @@ func (p *prog) serveDNS(listenerNum string) error {
 			addr := net.JoinHostPort(listenerConfig.IP, strconv.Itoa(listenerConfig.Port))
 			s, errCh := runDNSServer(addr, proto, handler)
 			defer s.Shutdown()
-			select {
-			case err := <-errCh:
-				return err
-			case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
-				p.started <- struct{}{}
-			}
+
+			p.started <- struct{}{}
+
 			select {
 			case <-p.stopCh:
 			case <-ctx.Done():
diff --git a/cmd/cli/prog.go b/cmd/cli/prog.go
index b3f3abf..64728a0 100644
--- a/cmd/cli/prog.go
+++ b/cmd/cli/prog.go
@@ -249,6 +249,13 @@ func (p *prog) run(reload bool, reloadCh chan struct{}) {
 	numListeners := len(p.cfg.Listener)
 	if !reload {
 		p.started = make(chan struct{}, numListeners)
+		if p.cs != nil {
+			p.registerControlServerHandler()
+			if err := p.cs.start(); err != nil {
+				mainLog.Load().Warn().Err(err).Msg("could not start control server")
+			}
+			mainLog.Load().Debug().Msgf("control server started: %s", p.cs.addr)
+		}
 	}
 	p.onStartedDone = make(chan struct{})
 	p.loop = make(map[string]bool)
@@ -381,12 +388,6 @@ func (p *prog) run(reload bool, reloadCh chan struct{}) {
 		if p.logConn != nil {
 			_ = p.logConn.Close()
 		}
-		if p.cs != nil {
-			p.registerControlServerHandler()
-			if err := p.cs.start(); err != nil {
-				mainLog.Load().Warn().Err(err).Msg("could not start control server")
-			}
-		}
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
 }