diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index d0f73a632..1c79ff9f4 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -222,7 +222,6 @@ void Shutdown()
 #if ENABLE_ZMQ
     if (pzmqNotificationInterface) {
         UnregisterValidationInterface(pzmqNotificationInterface);
-        pzmqNotificationInterface->Shutdown();
         delete pzmqNotificationInterface;
         pzmqNotificationInterface = NULL;
     }
@@ -1180,7 +1179,6 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& scheduler)
     pzmqNotificationInterface = CZMQNotificationInterface::CreateWithArguments(mapArgs);
 
     if (pzmqNotificationInterface) {
-        pzmqNotificationInterface->Initialize();
         RegisterValidationInterface(pzmqNotificationInterface);
     }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/zmq/zmqnotificationinterface.cpp b/src/zmq/zmqnotificationinterface.cpp
index 388b86707..09fe3aeb4 100644
--- a/src/zmq/zmqnotificationinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/zmq/zmqnotificationinterface.cpp
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ CZMQNotificationInterface::CZMQNotificationInterface() : pcontext(NULL)
 
 CZMQNotificationInterface::~CZMQNotificationInterface()
 {
-    // ensure Shutdown if Initialize is called
-    assert(!pcontext);
+    Shutdown();
 
     for (std::list<CZMQAbstractNotifier*>::iterator i=notifiers.begin(); i!=notifiers.end(); ++i)
     {
@@ -59,6 +58,12 @@ CZMQNotificationInterface* CZMQNotificationInterface::CreateWithArguments(const
     {
         notificationInterface = new CZMQNotificationInterface();
         notificationInterface->notifiers = notifiers;
+
+        if (!notificationInterface->Initialize())
+        {
+            delete notificationInterface;
+            notificationInterface = NULL;
+        }
     }
 
     return notificationInterface;
@@ -99,7 +104,7 @@ bool CZMQNotificationInterface::Initialize()
         return false;
     }
 
-    return false;
+    return true;
 }
 
 // Called during shutdown sequence
diff --git a/src/zmq/zmqnotificationinterface.h b/src/zmq/zmqnotificationinterface.h
index 8eea15c06..3ccfaf341 100644
--- a/src/zmq/zmqnotificationinterface.h
+++ b/src/zmq/zmqnotificationinterface.h
@@ -19,10 +19,11 @@ public:
 
     static CZMQNotificationInterface* CreateWithArguments(const std::map<std::string, std::string> &args);
 
+protected:
     bool Initialize();
     void Shutdown();
 
-protected: // CValidationInterface
+    // CValidationInterface
     void SyncTransaction(const CTransaction &tx, const CBlock *pblock);
     void UpdatedBlockTip(const CBlockIndex *pindex);