diff --git a/sbin/hastd/hastd.c b/sbin/hastd/hastd.c
index a025d6b8aa4e..cb61811246c0 100644
--- a/sbin/hastd/hastd.c
+++ b/sbin/hastd/hastd.c
@@ -701,8 +701,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	int debuglevel;
 	sigset_t mask;
 
-	g_gate_load();
-
 	foreground = false;
 	debuglevel = 0;
 	pidfile = HASTD_PIDFILE;
@@ -736,6 +734,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	pjdlog_debug_set(debuglevel);
 
+	g_gate_load();
+
 	pfh = pidfile_open(pidfile, 0600, &otherpid);
 	if (pfh == NULL) {
 		if (errno == EEXIST) {