diff --git a/src/lxc/state.c b/src/lxc/state.c
index 4ab131a4c..68ec00ba0 100644
--- a/src/lxc/state.c
+++ b/src/lxc/state.c
@@ -207,6 +207,9 @@ extern int lxc_wait(const char *lxcname, const char *states, int timeout, const
 	if (fillwaitedstates(states, s))
 		return -1;
 
+	if (lxc_monitord_spawn(lxcpath))
+		return -1;
+
 	fd = lxc_monitor_open(lxcpath);
 	if (fd < 0)
 		return -1;