diff --git a/src/asphalt/core/_component.py b/src/asphalt/core/_component.py
index 73784992..c59daed1 100644
--- a/src/asphalt/core/_component.py
+++ b/src/asphalt/core/_component.py
@@ -49,13 +49,14 @@ class ContainerComponent(Component):
     :vartype component_configs: Dict[str, Optional[Dict[str, Any]]]
     """
 
-    __slots__ = "child_components", "component_configs"
+    __slots__ = "child_components", "component_configs", "_started"
 
     def __init__(
         self, components: dict[str, dict[str, Any] | None] | None = None
     ) -> None:
         self.child_components: OrderedDict[str, Component] = OrderedDict()
         self.component_configs = components or {}
+        self._started = False
 
     def add_component(
         self, alias: str, type: str | type | None = None, **config: Any
@@ -103,6 +104,8 @@ async def start(self) -> None:
         they have completed.
 
         """
+        self._started = True
+
         for alias in self.component_configs:
             if alias not in self.child_components:
                 self.add_component(alias)
diff --git a/src/asphalt/core/_runner.py b/src/asphalt/core/_runner.py
index 646f4784..17737635 100644
--- a/src/asphalt/core/_runner.py
+++ b/src/asphalt/core/_runner.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 from anyio.abc import TaskStatus
 from exceptiongroup import catch
 
-from ._component import Component, component_types
+from ._component import Component, ContainerComponent, component_types
 from ._context import Context
 from ._exceptions import ApplicationExit
 
@@ -53,6 +53,17 @@ def handle_application_exit(excgrp: ExceptionGroup) -> None:
         raise SystemExit(exit_exc.code).with_traceback(exc.__traceback__) from None
 
 
+def check_started(component) -> ContainerComponent | None:
+    if isinstance(component, ContainerComponent):
+        for c in component.child_components:
+            unstarted_component = check_started(c)
+            if unstarted_component:
+                return unstarted_component
+        if not component._started:
+            return component
+    return None
+
+
 async def run_application(
     component: Component | dict[str, Any],
     *,
@@ -136,6 +147,15 @@ async def run_application(
                 logger.exception("Error during application startup")
                 raise
 
+            unstarted_component = check_started(component)
+            if unstarted_component:
+                logger.error(
+                    "Container component %s not started, "
+                    "did you forget to await super().start() ?",
+                    component,
+                )
+                return
+
             logger.info("Application started")
 
             await event.wait()