diff --git a/peer.go b/peer.go
index c8f8ef27..ade90b41 100644
--- a/peer.go
+++ b/peer.go
@@ -121,6 +121,10 @@ type peer struct {
 	addr        *lnwire.NetAddress
 	pubKeyBytes [33]byte
 
+	// activeSignal when closed signals that the peer is now active and
+	// ready to process messages.
+	activeSignal chan struct{}
+
 	// startTime is the time this peer connection was successfully
 	// established. It will be zero for peers that did not successfully
 	// Start().
@@ -241,6 +245,8 @@ func newPeer(conn net.Conn, connReq *connmgr.ConnReq, server *server,
 		conn: conn,
 		addr: addr,
 
+		activeSignal: make(chan struct{}),
+
 		inbound: inbound,
 		connReq: connReq,
 
@@ -369,6 +375,9 @@ func (p *peer) Start() error {
 	go p.channelManager()
 	go p.pingHandler()
 
+	// Signal to any external processes that the peer is now active.
+	close(p.activeSignal)
+
 	// Now that the peer has started up, we send any channel sync messages
 	// that must be resent for borked channels.
 	if len(msgs) > 0 {
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index e8f0618b..b0bd8723 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -3207,6 +3207,18 @@ func (s *server) OpenChannel(
 	}
 	s.mu.RUnlock()
 
+	// We'll wait until the peer is active before beginning the channel
+	// opening process.
+	select {
+	case <-peer.activeSignal:
+	case <-peer.quit:
+		req.err <- fmt.Errorf("peer %x disconnected", pubKeyBytes)
+		return req.updates, req.err
+	case <-s.quit:
+		req.err <- ErrServerShuttingDown
+		return req.updates, req.err
+	}
+
 	// If the fee rate wasn't specified, then we'll use a default
 	// confirmation target.
 	if req.fundingFeePerKw == 0 {