diff --git a/cli/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/cli/Cli.groovy b/cli/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/cli/Cli.groovy
index 07a5b865..1af7e570 100644
--- a/cli/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/cli/Cli.groovy
+++ b/cli/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/cli/Cli.groovy
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 package com.muwire.cli
 
+import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch
+
 import com.muwire.core.Core
 import com.muwire.core.MuWireSettings
+import com.muwire.core.files.AllFilesLoadedEvent
 import com.muwire.core.files.FileHashedEvent
 import com.muwire.core.files.FileSharedEvent
 
@@ -31,9 +34,20 @@ class Cli {
             println "Failed to initialize core, exiting"
             System.exit(1)
         }
-        
+
+        def latch = new CountDownLatch(1)
+        def fileLoader = new Object() {
+            public void onAllFilesLoadedEvent(AllFilesLoadedEvent e) {
+                latch.countDown()
+            }
+        }
+        core.eventBus.register(AllFilesLoadedEvent.class, fileLoader)
         core.startServices()
         
+        println "waiting for files to load"
+        latch.await()
+                
+        
         // now we begin
         println "MuWire is ready"
         
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/AllFilesLoadedEvent.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/AllFilesLoadedEvent.groovy
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..df1a140f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/AllFilesLoadedEvent.groovy
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+package com.muwire.core.files
+
+import com.muwire.core.Event
+
+class AllFilesLoadedEvent extends Event {
+}
diff --git a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/PersisterService.groovy b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/PersisterService.groovy
index 7028d32b..86b01234 100644
--- a/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/PersisterService.groovy
+++ b/core/src/main/groovy/com/muwire/core/files/PersisterService.groovy
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ class PersisterService extends Service {
 						}
 					}
 				}
+                listener.publish(new AllFilesLoadedEvent())
 			} catch (IllegalArgumentException|NumberFormatException e) {
                 log.log(Level.WARNING, "couldn't load files",e)
 			}