diff --git a/libkbfs/init.go b/libkbfs/init.go
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/libkbfs/init.go
+++ b/libkbfs/init.go
@@ -713,6 +713,10 @@ func doInit(
 	}
 	config.SetMDServer(mdServer)
 
+	// Must do this after setting the md server, since it depends on
+	// being able to fetch MDs.
+	go kbfsOps.initSyncedTlfs()
+
 	// Initialize KeyServer connection.  MDServer is the KeyServer at the
 	// moment.
 	keyServer, err := makeKeyServer(config, params.MDServerAddr, log)
diff --git a/libkbfs/kbfs_ops.go b/libkbfs/kbfs_ops.go
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/libkbfs/kbfs_ops.go
+++ b/libkbfs/kbfs_ops.go
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ func NewKBFSOpsStandard(appStateUpdater env.AppStateUpdater, config Config) *KBF
 	}
 	kops.currentStatus.Init()
 	go kops.markForReIdentifyIfNeededLoop()
-	go kops.initSyncedTlfs()
 	return kops
 }
kbfs_ops: fix race when initing TLFs before mdserver is set