diff --git a/htlcswitch/link.go b/htlcswitch/link.go
index 2051561b..1be506c7 100644
--- a/htlcswitch/link.go
+++ b/htlcswitch/link.go
@@ -385,6 +385,32 @@ func (l *channelLink) Start() error {
 	l.mailBox.ResetMessages()
 	l.overflowQueue.Start()
 
+	// Before launching the htlcManager messages, revert any circuits that
+	// were marked open in the switch's circuit map, but did not make it
+	// into a commitment txn. We use the next local htlc index as the cut
+	// off point, since all indexes below that are committed. This action
+	// is only performed if the link's final short channel ID has been
+	// assigned, otherwise we would try to trim the htlcs belonging to the
+	// all-zero, sourceHop ID.
+	if l.ShortChanID() != sourceHop {
+		localHtlcIndex, err := l.channel.NextLocalHtlcIndex()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("unable to retrieve next local "+
+				"htlc index: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// NOTE: This is automatically done by the switch when it
+		// starts up, but is necessary to prevent inconsistencies in
+		// the case that the link flaps. This is a result of a link's
+		// life-cycle being shorter than that of the switch.
+		chanID := l.ShortChanID()
+		err = l.cfg.Circuits.TrimOpenCircuits(chanID, localHtlcIndex)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("unable to trim circuits above "+
+				"local htlc index %d: %v", localHtlcIndex, err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	l.wg.Add(1)
 	go l.htlcManager()
 
@@ -726,36 +752,6 @@ func (l *channelLink) htlcManager() {
 	log.Infof("HTLC manager for ChannelPoint(%v) started, "+
 		"bandwidth=%v", l.channel.ChannelPoint(), l.Bandwidth())
 
-	// Before handling any messages, revert any circuits that were marked
-	// open in the switch's circuit map, but did not make it into a
-	// commitment txn. We use the next local htlc index as the cut off
-	// point, since all indexes below that are committed. This action is
-	// only performed if the link's final short channel ID has been
-	// assigned, otherwise we would try to trim the htlcs belonging to the
-	// all-zero, sourceHop ID.
-	if l.ShortChanID() != sourceHop {
-		localHtlcIndex, err := l.channel.NextLocalHtlcIndex()
-		if err != nil {
-			l.errorf("unable to retrieve next local htlc index: %v",
-				err)
-			l.fail(ErrInternalLinkFailure.Error())
-			return
-		}
-
-		// NOTE: This is automatically done by the switch when it starts
-		// up, but is necessary to prevent inconsistencies in the case
-		// that the link flaps. This is a result of a link's life-cycle
-		// being shorter than that of the switch.
-		chanID := l.ShortChanID()
-		err = l.cfg.Circuits.TrimOpenCircuits(chanID, localHtlcIndex)
-		if err != nil {
-			l.errorf("unable to trim circuits above local htlc "+
-				"index %d: %v", localHtlcIndex, err)
-			l.fail(ErrInternalLinkFailure.Error())
-			return
-		}
-	}
-
 	// TODO(roasbeef): need to call wipe chan whenever D/C?
 
 	// If this isn't the first time that this channel link has been
diff --git a/htlcswitch/link_test.go b/htlcswitch/link_test.go
index 892d5ec9..3bd7c4d1 100644
--- a/htlcswitch/link_test.go
+++ b/htlcswitch/link_test.go
@@ -2528,7 +2528,7 @@ func TestChannelLinkTrimCircuitsPending(t *testing.T) {
 	cleanUp = alice.restart(false)
 	defer cleanUp()
 
-	alice.assertNumPendingNumOpenCircuits(4, 4)
+	alice.assertNumPendingNumOpenCircuits(4, 2)
 
 	// Again, try to recommit all of our circuits.
 	fwdActions = alice.commitCircuits(circuits)
@@ -2715,7 +2715,7 @@ func TestChannelLinkTrimCircuitsNoCommit(t *testing.T) {
 	cleanUp = alice.restart(false, hodl.Commit)
 	defer cleanUp()
 
-	alice.assertNumPendingNumOpenCircuits(2, 2)
+	alice.assertNumPendingNumOpenCircuits(2, 0)
 
 	// The first two HTLCs should have been reset in Alice's mailbox since
 	// the switch was not shutdown. Knowing this the switch should drop the
@@ -2735,6 +2735,7 @@ func TestChannelLinkTrimCircuitsNoCommit(t *testing.T) {
 	assertLinkBandwidth(t, alice.link,
 		aliceStartingBandwidth-halfHtlcs*(htlcAmt+htlcFee),
 	)
+
 	// Again, initiate another state transition by Alice to try and commit
 	// the HTLCs.  Since she is in hodl.Commit mode, this will fail, but the
 	// circuits will be opened persistently.
@@ -2805,7 +2806,7 @@ func TestChannelLinkTrimCircuitsNoCommit(t *testing.T) {
 	cleanUp = alice.restart(false, hodl.Commit)
 	defer cleanUp()
 
-	alice.assertNumPendingNumOpenCircuits(4, 2)
+	alice.assertNumPendingNumOpenCircuits(4, 0)
 
 	// Now, try to commit all of known circuits.
 	fwdActions = alice.commitCircuits(circuits)
@@ -2815,6 +2816,7 @@ func TestChannelLinkTrimCircuitsNoCommit(t *testing.T) {
 	if len(fwdActions.Fails) != halfHtlcs {
 		t.Fatalf("expected %d packet to be failed", halfHtlcs)
 	}
+
 	// The last two HTLCs will be dropped, as thought the circuits are
 	// trimmed, the switch is aware that the HTLCs are still in Alice's
 	// mailbox.