diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNotePlaybackService.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNotePlaybackService.java
index bffc9ab958..a22bfbadd6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNotePlaybackService.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/components/voice/VoiceNotePlaybackService.java
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ public class VoiceNotePlaybackService extends MediaBrowserServiceCompat {
     public void onNotificationPosted(int notificationId, Notification notification, boolean ongoing) {
       if (ongoing && !isForegroundService) {
         try {
-          ForegroundServiceUtil.startWhenCapable(getApplicationContext(), new Intent(getApplicationContext(), VoiceNotePlaybackService.class));
+          ForegroundServiceUtil.start(getApplicationContext(), new Intent(getApplicationContext(), VoiceNotePlaybackService.class));
           startForeground(notificationId, notification);
           isForegroundService = true;
         } catch (UnableToStartException e) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/gcm/FcmFetchManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/gcm/FcmFetchManager.kt
index 7139d70033..65e4421de6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/gcm/FcmFetchManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/gcm/FcmFetchManager.kt
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.concurrent.SerialMonoLifoExecutor
 object FcmFetchManager {
 
   private val TAG = Log.tag(FcmFetchManager::class.java)
-
+  private const val MAX_BLOCKING_TIME_MS = 500L
   private val EXECUTOR = SerialMonoLifoExecutor(SignalExecutors.UNBOUNDED)
 
   @Volatile
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ object FcmFetchManager {
       try {
         if (foreground) {
           Log.i(TAG, "Starting in the foreground.")
-          ForegroundServiceUtil.startWhenCapableOrThrow(context, Intent(context, FcmFetchForegroundService::class.java))
+          ForegroundServiceUtil.startWhenCapableOrThrow(context, Intent(context, FcmFetchForegroundService::class.java), MAX_BLOCKING_TIME_MS)
           startedForeground = true
         } else {
           Log.i(TAG, "Starting in the background.")
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobs/ForegroundServiceUtil.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobs/ForegroundServiceUtil.kt
index 2b3bde2ab7..7c5445bd99 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobs/ForegroundServiceUtil.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/jobs/ForegroundServiceUtil.kt
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import android.content.Context
 import android.content.Intent
 import android.os.Build
 import android.os.SystemClock
+import androidx.annotation.WorkerThread
 import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
 import org.signal.core.util.PendingIntentFlags
 import org.signal.core.util.logging.Log
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ object ForegroundServiceUtil {
   @JvmOverloads
   @JvmStatic
   @Throws(UnableToStartException::class)
+  @WorkerThread
   fun startWhenCapable(context: Context, intent: Intent, timeout: Long = DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) {
     try {
       start(context, intent)
@@ -91,6 +93,7 @@ object ForegroundServiceUtil {
    */
   @JvmOverloads
   @JvmStatic
+  @WorkerThread
   fun startWhenCapableOrThrow(context: Context, intent: Intent, timeout: Long = DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) {
     try {
       startWhenCapable(context, intent, timeout)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/IncomingMessageObserver.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/IncomingMessageObserver.kt
index f027f06222..288ab3c17c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/IncomingMessageObserver.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/messages/IncomingMessageObserver.kt
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobmanager.JobTracker
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobmanager.JobTracker.JobListener
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobmanager.impl.BackoffUtil
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobmanager.impl.NetworkConstraint
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobs.ForegroundServiceUtil
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobs.ForegroundServiceUtil.startWhenCapable
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobs.PushDecryptMessageJob
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobs.PushProcessMessageJob
@@ -94,9 +95,16 @@ class IncomingMessageObserver(private val context: Application) {
 
     if (!SignalStore.account().fcmEnabled || SignalStore.internalValues().isWebsocketModeForced) {
       try {
-        startWhenCapable(context, Intent(context, ForegroundService::class.java))
+        ForegroundServiceUtil.start(context, Intent(context, ForegroundService::class.java))
       } catch (e: UnableToStartException) {
-        Log.w(TAG, "Unable to start foreground service for websocket!", e)
+        Log.w(TAG, "Unable to start foreground service for websocket. Deferring to background to try with blocking")
+        SignalExecutors.UNBOUNDED.execute {
+          try {
+            startWhenCapable(context, Intent(context, ForegroundService::class.java))
+          } catch (e: UnableToStartException) {
+            Log.w(TAG, "Unable to start foreground service for websocket!", e)
+          }
+        }
       }
     }