diff --git a/daemon/main.c b/daemon/main.c
index e237974d4..b303a7eec 100644
--- a/daemon/main.c
+++ b/daemon/main.c
@@ -1065,8 +1065,6 @@ static void init_everything(void) {
 
 static void create_everything(void) {
 	struct timeval tmp_tv;
-	struct timeval redis_start, redis_stop;
-	double redis_diff = 0;
 
 	if (rtpe_config.kernel_table < 0)
 		goto no_kernel;
@@ -1227,40 +1225,52 @@ no_kernel:
 
 	rtcp_init(); // must come after Homer init
 
-	if (rtpe_redis) {
-		// start redis restore timer
-		gettimeofday(&redis_start, NULL);
-
-		// restore
-		if (rtpe_redis_notify) {
-			// active-active mode: the main DB has our own calls, while
-			// the "notify" DB has the "foreign" calls. "foreign" DB goes
-			// first as the "owned" DB can do a stray update back to Redis
-			for (GList *l = rtpe_config.redis_subscribed_keyspaces.head; l; l = l->next) {
-				int db = GPOINTER_TO_INT(l->data);
-				if (redis_restore(rtpe_redis_notify, true, db))
-					ilog(LOG_WARN, "Unable to restore calls from the active-active peer");
-			}
-			if (redis_restore(rtpe_redis_write, false, -1))
-				die("Refusing to continue without working Redis database");
-		}
-		else {
-			if (redis_restore(rtpe_redis, false, -1))
-				die("Refusing to continue without working Redis database");
-		}
+	gettimeofday(&rtpe_latest_graphite_interval_start, NULL);
+
+	timeval_from_us(&tmp_tv, (long long) rtpe_config.graphite_interval*1000000);
+	set_graphite_interval_tv(&tmp_tv);
+}
+
+
+static void do_redis_restore(void) {
+	if (!rtpe_redis)
+		return;
+
+	struct timeval redis_start, redis_stop;
+	double redis_diff = 0;
 
-		// stop redis restore timer
-		gettimeofday(&redis_stop, NULL);
+	// start redis restore timer
+	gettimeofday(&redis_start, NULL);
 
-		// print redis restore duration
-		redis_diff += timeval_diff(&redis_stop, &redis_start) / 1000.0;
-		ilog(LOG_INFO, "Redis restore time = %.0lf ms", redis_diff);
+	// restore
+	if (rtpe_redis_notify) {
+		// active-active mode: the main DB has our own calls, while
+		// the "notify" DB has the "foreign" calls. "foreign" DB goes
+		// first as the "owned" DB can do a stray update back to Redis
+
+		// create new connection as notifications are already set up
+		struct redis *r = redis_dup(rtpe_redis_notify, -1);
+
+		for (GList *l = rtpe_config.redis_subscribed_keyspaces.head; l; l = l->next) {
+			int db = GPOINTER_TO_INT(l->data);
+			if (redis_restore(r, true, db))
+				ilog(LOG_WARN, "Unable to restore calls from the active-active peer");
+		}
+		redis_close(r);
+		if (redis_restore(rtpe_redis_write, false, -1))
+			die("Refusing to continue without working Redis database");
+	}
+	else {
+		if (redis_restore(rtpe_redis, false, -1))
+			die("Refusing to continue without working Redis database");
 	}
 
-	gettimeofday(&rtpe_latest_graphite_interval_start, NULL);
+	// stop redis restore timer
+	gettimeofday(&redis_stop, NULL);
 
-	timeval_from_us(&tmp_tv, (long long) rtpe_config.graphite_interval*1000000);
-	set_graphite_interval_tv(&tmp_tv);
+	// print redis restore duration
+	redis_diff += timeval_diff(&redis_stop, &redis_start) / 1000.0;
+	ilog(LOG_INFO, "Redis restore time = %.0lf ms", redis_diff);
 }
 
 
@@ -1286,6 +1296,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	if (!is_addr_unspecified(&rtpe_config.redis_ep.address) && rtpe_redis_notify)
 		thread_create_detach(redis_notify_loop, NULL, "redis notify");
 
+	do_redis_restore();
+
 	if (!is_addr_unspecified(&rtpe_config.graphite_ep.address))
 		thread_create_detach(graphite_loop, NULL, "graphite");
 
diff --git a/daemon/redis.c b/daemon/redis.c
index 9d5b9883a..e97bd185a 100644
--- a/daemon/redis.c
+++ b/daemon/redis.c
@@ -845,6 +845,9 @@ err:
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+struct redis *redis_dup(const struct redis *r, int db) {
+	return redis_new(&r->endpoint, db >= 0 ? db : r->db, r->auth, r->role, r->no_redis_required);
+}
 
 void redis_close(struct redis *r) {
 	if (!r)
@@ -2136,7 +2139,7 @@ int redis_restore(struct redis *r, bool foreign, int db) {
 	ctx.foreign = foreign;
 	for (i = 0; i < rtpe_config.redis_num_threads; i++)
 		g_queue_push_tail(&ctx.r_q,
-				redis_new(&r->endpoint, db, r->auth, r->role, r->no_redis_required));
+				redis_dup(r, db));
 	gtp = g_thread_pool_new(restore_thread, &ctx, rtpe_config.redis_num_threads, TRUE, NULL);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < calls->elements; i++) {
diff --git a/include/redis.h b/include/redis.h
index 31f811990..2b4d99379 100644
--- a/include/redis.h
+++ b/include/redis.h
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ void redis_delete_async_loop(void *d);
 
 
 struct redis *redis_new(const endpoint_t *, int, const char *, enum redis_role, int);
+struct redis *redis_dup(const struct redis *r, int db);
 void redis_close(struct redis *r);
 int redis_restore(struct redis *, bool foreign, int db);
 void redis_update(struct call *, struct redis *);