diff --git a/roomserver/internal/api.go b/roomserver/internal/api.go
index 5cfe68da..e370f7e4 100644
--- a/roomserver/internal/api.go
+++ b/roomserver/internal/api.go
@@ -72,9 +72,6 @@ func NewRoomserverAPI(
 		},
 		// perform-er structs get initialised when we have a federation sender to use
 	}
-	if err := a.Inputer.Start(); err != nil {
-		logrus.WithError(err).Panic("failed to start roomserver input API")
-	}
 	return a
 }
 
@@ -140,6 +137,10 @@ func (r *RoomserverInternalAPI) SetFederationAPI(fsAPI fsAPI.FederationInternalA
 	r.Forgetter = &perform.Forgetter{
 		DB: r.DB,
 	}
+
+	if err := r.Inputer.Start(); err != nil {
+		logrus.WithError(err).Panic("failed to start roomserver input API")
+	}
 }
 
 func (r *RoomserverInternalAPI) SetAppserviceAPI(asAPI asAPI.AppServiceQueryAPI) {