diff --git a/command/server.go b/command/server.go
index a8c2232f02..fea95fa870 100644
--- a/command/server.go
+++ b/command/server.go
@@ -104,6 +104,14 @@ func (c *ServerCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		Writer:   logGate,
 	}, "", log.LstdFlags)
 
+	// Initialize telemetry; if this is done after the core is created,
+	// because we are using a global telemetry object, it can be a data
+	// race between writing metrics from core and the object being set
+	if err := c.setupTelementry(config); err != nil {
+		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error initializing telemetry: %s", err))
+		return 1
+	}
+
 	// Initialize the backend
 	backend, err := physical.NewBackend(
 		config.Backend.Type, config.Backend.Config)
@@ -233,12 +241,6 @@ func (c *ServerCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Initialize the telemetry
-	if err := c.setupTelementry(config); err != nil {
-		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error initializing telemetry: %s", err))
-		return 1
-	}
-
 	// Initialize the listeners
 	lns := make([]net.Listener, 0, len(config.Listeners))
 	for i, lnConfig := range config.Listeners {