diff --git a/client/embed/embed.go b/client/embed/embed.go
index 9ded618c5..fe95b1942 100644
--- a/client/embed/embed.go
+++ b/client/embed/embed.go
@@ -134,10 +134,11 @@ func (c *Client) Start(startCtx context.Context) error {
 
 	// either startup error (permanent backoff err) or nil err (successful engine up)
 	// TODO: make after-startup backoff err available
-	run := make(chan error, 1)
+	run := make(chan struct{}, 1)
+	clientErr := make(chan error, 1)
 	go func() {
 		if err := client.Run(run); err != nil {
-			run <- err
+			clientErr <- err
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -147,13 +148,9 @@ func (c *Client) Start(startCtx context.Context) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("stop error after context done. Stop error: %w. Context done: %w", stopErr, startCtx.Err())
 		}
 		return startCtx.Err()
-	case err := <-run:
-		if err != nil {
-			if stopErr := client.Stop(); stopErr != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("stop error after failed to startup. Stop error: %w. Start error: %w", stopErr, err)
-			}
-			return fmt.Errorf("startup: %w", err)
-		}
+	case err := <-clientErr:
+		return fmt.Errorf("startup: %w", err)
+	case <-run:
 	}
 
 	c.connect = client
diff --git a/client/internal/connect.go b/client/internal/connect.go
index bf513ed39..7cbe47b74 100644
--- a/client/internal/connect.go
+++ b/client/internal/connect.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func NewConnectClient(
 }
 
 // Run with main logic.
-func (c *ConnectClient) Run(runningChan chan error) error {
+func (c *ConnectClient) Run(runningChan chan struct{}) error {
 	return c.run(MobileDependency{}, runningChan)
 }
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func (c *ConnectClient) RunOniOS(
 	return c.run(mobileDependency, nil)
 }
 
-func (c *ConnectClient) run(mobileDependency MobileDependency, runningChan chan error) error {
+func (c *ConnectClient) run(mobileDependency MobileDependency, runningChan chan struct{}) error {
 	defer func() {
 		if r := recover(); r != nil {
 			rec := c.statusRecorder
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ func (c *ConnectClient) run(mobileDependency MobileDependency, runningChan chan
 	}
 
 	defer c.statusRecorder.ClientStop()
-	runningChanOpen := true
 	operation := func() error {
 		// if context cancelled we not start new backoff cycle
 		if c.isContextCancelled() {
@@ -282,10 +281,11 @@ func (c *ConnectClient) run(mobileDependency MobileDependency, runningChan chan
 		log.Infof("Netbird engine started, the IP is: %s", peerConfig.GetAddress())
 		state.Set(StatusConnected)
 
-		if runningChan != nil && runningChanOpen {
-			runningChan <- nil
-			close(runningChan)
-			runningChanOpen = false
+		if runningChan != nil {
+			select {
+			case runningChan <- struct{}{}:
+			default:
+			}
 		}
 
 		<-engineCtx.Done()
diff --git a/client/server/server.go b/client/server/server.go
index 8907f541f..b112a994f 100644
--- a/client/server/server.go
+++ b/client/server/server.go
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ func (s *Server) Start() error {
 // mechanism to keep the client connected even when the connection is lost.
 // we cancel retry if the client receive a stop or down command, or if disable auto connect is configured.
 func (s *Server) connectWithRetryRuns(ctx context.Context, config *internal.Config, statusRecorder *peer.Status,
-	runningChan chan error,
+	runningChan chan struct{},
 ) {
 	backOff := getConnectWithBackoff(ctx)
 	retryStarted := false
@@ -628,20 +628,21 @@ func (s *Server) Up(callerCtx context.Context, _ *proto.UpRequest) (*proto.UpRes
 	s.statusRecorder.UpdateManagementAddress(s.config.ManagementURL.String())
 	s.statusRecorder.UpdateRosenpass(s.config.RosenpassEnabled, s.config.RosenpassPermissive)
 
-	runningChan := make(chan error)
-	go s.connectWithRetryRuns(ctx, s.config, s.statusRecorder, runningChan)
+	timeoutCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(callerCtx, 10*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
 
+	runningChan := make(chan struct{}, 1) // buffered channel to do not lose the signal
+	go s.connectWithRetryRuns(ctx, s.config, s.statusRecorder, runningChan)
 	for {
 		select {
-		case err := <-runningChan:
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Debugf("waiting for engine to become ready failed: %s", err)
-			} else {
-				return &proto.UpResponse{}, nil
-			}
+		case <-runningChan:
+			return &proto.UpResponse{}, nil
 		case <-callerCtx.Done():
 			log.Debug("context done, stopping the wait for engine to become ready")
 			return nil, callerCtx.Err()
+		case <-timeoutCtx.Done():
+			log.Debug("up is timed out, stopping the wait for engine to become ready")
+			return nil, timeoutCtx.Err()
 		}
 	}
 }