diff --git a/actor/inbox.go b/actor/inbox.go
index 384ce24..5adb607 100644
--- a/actor/inbox.go
+++ b/actor/inbox.go
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ const (
 )
 
 const (
-	idle int32 = iota
+	stopped int32 = iota
+	starting
+	idle
 	running
-	stopped
 )
 
 type Scheduler interface {
@@ -52,8 +53,9 @@ type Inbox struct {
 
 func NewInbox(size int) *Inbox {
 	return &Inbox{
-		rb:        ringbuffer.New[Envelope](int64(size)),
-		scheduler: NewScheduler(defaultThroughput),
+		rb:         ringbuffer.New[Envelope](int64(size)),
+		scheduler:  NewScheduler(defaultThroughput),
+		procStatus: stopped,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -91,7 +93,12 @@ func (in *Inbox) run() {
 }
 
 func (in *Inbox) Start(proc Processer) {
-	in.proc = proc
+	// transition to "starting" and then "idle" to ensure no race condition on in.proc
+	if atomic.CompareAndSwapInt32(&in.procStatus, stopped, starting) {
+		in.proc = proc
+		atomic.SwapInt32(&in.procStatus, idle)
+		in.schedule()
+	}
 }
 
 func (in *Inbox) Stop() error {
diff --git a/actor/process.go b/actor/process.go
index 65e6c9f..3de42b7 100644
--- a/actor/process.go
+++ b/actor/process.go
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ func newProcess(e *Engine, opts Opts) *process {
 		context: ctx,
 		mbuffer: nil,
 	}
-	p.inbox.Start(p)
 	return p
 }
 
@@ -138,6 +137,8 @@ func (p *process) Start() {
 		p.Invoke(p.mbuffer)
 		p.mbuffer = nil
 	}
+
+	p.inbox.Start(p)
 }
 
 func (p *process) tryRestart(v any) {
diff --git a/actor/process_test.go b/actor/process_test.go
index 9256f3d..c4fcb9a 100644
--- a/actor/process_test.go
+++ b/actor/process_test.go
@@ -48,3 +48,72 @@ func Test_CleanTrace(t *testing.T) {
 func panicWrapper() {
 	panic("foo")
 }
+
+func Test_StartupMessages(t *testing.T) {
+	e, err := NewEngine(NewEngineConfig())
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	type testMsg struct{}
+
+	timeout := time.After(1 * time.Second)
+	msgCh := make(chan any, 10) // used to check the msg order
+	syncCh1 := make(chan struct{})
+	syncCh2 := make(chan struct{})
+
+	go func() {
+		e.SpawnFunc(func(c *Context) {
+			fmt.Printf("Got message type %T\n", c.Message())
+			switch c.Message().(type) {
+			case Initialized:
+				syncCh1 <- struct{}{}
+				// wait for testMsg to send
+				select {
+				case <-syncCh2:
+				case <-timeout:
+					t.Error("test timed out")
+				}
+			}
+			msgCh <- c.Message()
+		}, "foo", WithID("bar"))
+	}()
+
+	// wait for actor to initialize
+	select {
+	case <-syncCh1:
+	case <-timeout:
+		t.Error("test timed out")
+		return
+	}
+
+	pid := e.Registry.GetPID("foo", "bar")
+	e.Send(pid, testMsg{})
+	syncCh2 <- struct{}{}
+
+	// check that message order is as expected
+	select {
+	case msg := <-msgCh:
+		_, ok := msg.(Initialized)
+		require.True(t, ok)
+	case <-timeout:
+		t.Error("test timed out")
+		return
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case msg := <-msgCh:
+		_, ok := msg.(Started)
+		require.True(t, ok)
+	case <-timeout:
+		t.Error("test timed out")
+		return
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case msg := <-msgCh:
+		_, ok := msg.(testMsg)
+		require.True(t, ok)
+	case <-timeout:
+		t.Error("test timed out")
+		return
+	}
+}