diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/status.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/status.go
index 3a1191b3..eb4d462d 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/status.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/status.go
@@ -26,11 +26,6 @@ var statusDB allStatus
 
 func init() {
 	statusDB.Nodes = make(map[string]*NodeStatus)
-
-	err := LoadNodeStatus()
-	if err != nil {
-		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Could not prepopulate status DB with nodes: %s\n", err)
-	}
 }
 
 func LoadNodeStatus() error {
diff --git a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/warewulfd.go b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/warewulfd.go
index 2c5f4044..1600a637 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/warewulfd/warewulfd.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/warewulfd/warewulfd.go
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ func RunServer() error {
 		fmt.Printf("ERROR: Could not load database: %s\n", err)
 	}
 
+	err = LoadNodeStatus()
+	if err != nil {
+		wwlog.Printf(wwlog.ERROR, "Could not prepopulate node status DB: %s\n", err)
+	}
+
 	http.HandleFunc("/ipxe/", IpxeSend)
 	http.HandleFunc("/kernel/", KernelSend)
 	http.HandleFunc("/kmods/", KmodsSend)