diff --git a/cdap-app-fabric/src/main/java/io/cdap/cdap/internal/app/services/ProgramNotificationSubscriberService.java b/cdap-app-fabric/src/main/java/io/cdap/cdap/internal/app/services/ProgramNotificationSubscriberService.java
index 09c842b9e28..cc4cd23a3c4 100644
--- a/cdap-app-fabric/src/main/java/io/cdap/cdap/internal/app/services/ProgramNotificationSubscriberService.java
+++ b/cdap-app-fabric/src/main/java/io/cdap/cdap/internal/app/services/ProgramNotificationSubscriberService.java
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ public class ProgramNotificationSubscriberService extends AbstractIdleService {
   private final TransactionRunner transactionRunner;
   private final Store store;
   private final RunRecordMonitorService runRecordMonitorService;
-  private final Service delegate;
+  private Service delegate;
   private Set<ProgramCompletionNotifier> programCompletionNotifiers;
 
   @Inject
@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ public class ProgramNotificationSubscriberService extends AbstractIdleService {
     this.store = store;
     this.runRecordMonitorService = runRecordMonitorService;
     this.programCompletionNotifiers = Collections.emptySet();
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  protected void startUp() throws Exception {
     List<Service> children = new ArrayList<>();
     String topicPrefix = cConf.get(Constants.AppFabric.PROGRAM_STATUS_EVENT_TOPIC);
     int numPartitions = cConf.getInt(Constants.AppFabric.PROGRAM_STATUS_EVENT_NUM_PARTITIONS);
@@ -145,10 +149,6 @@ public class ProgramNotificationSubscriberService extends AbstractIdleService {
         i -> children.add(createChildService("program.status." + i, topicPrefix + i)));
     }
     this.delegate = new CompositeService(children);
-  }
-
-  @Override
-  protected void startUp() throws Exception {
     delegate.startAndWait();
   }