diff --git a/faust/app/base.py b/faust/app/base.py
index 971069a23..4c6850baa 100644
--- a/faust/app/base.py
+++ b/faust/app/base.py
@@ -1389,7 +1389,7 @@ async def start_client(self) -> None:
         self.client_only = True
         await self.maybe_start()
         self.consumer.stop_flow()
-        await self.topics.wait_for_subscriptions()
+        await self.topics.maybe_wait_for_subscriptions()
         await self.topics.on_client_only_start()
         self.consumer.resume_flow()
         self.flow_control.resume()