diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/RedisMessageListenerContainer.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/RedisMessageListenerContainer.java
index d94968369..165b3d9cd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/RedisMessageListenerContainer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/RedisMessageListenerContainer.java
@@ -190,11 +190,13 @@ public class RedisMessageListenerContainer implements InitializingBean, Disposab
 			// technically speaking we can only be notified right before the subscription starts
 			synchronized (monitor) {
 				lazyListen();
-				try {
-					// wait up to 5 seconds
-					monitor.wait(initWait);
-				} catch (InterruptedException e) {
-					// stop waiting
+				if(listening) {
+					try {
+						// wait up to 5 seconds for Subscription thread
+						monitor.wait(initWait);
+					} catch (InterruptedException e) {
+						// stop waiting
+					}
 				}
 			}
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/PubSubTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/PubSubTests.java
index 23e79e285..a5235b324 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/PubSubTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/redis/listener/PubSubTests.java
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ import org.springframework.data.redis.support.collections.ObjectFactory;
  * Base test class for PubSub integration tests
  * 
  * @author Costin Leau
+ * @author Jennifer Hickey
  */
 @RunWith(Parameterized.class)
 public class PubSubTests<T> {
@@ -53,11 +54,13 @@ public class PubSubTests<T> {
 
 	protected RedisMessageListenerContainer container;
 	protected ObjectFactory<T> factory;
+	@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
 	protected RedisTemplate template;
 
 	private final BlockingDeque<String> bag = new LinkedBlockingDeque<String>(99);
 
 	private final Object handler = new Object() {
+		@SuppressWarnings("unused")
 		public void handleMessage(String message) {
 			bag.add(message);
 		}
@@ -89,6 +92,7 @@ public class PubSubTests<T> {
 		container.destroy();
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes")
 	public PubSubTests(ObjectFactory<T> factory, RedisTemplate template) {
 		this.factory = factory;
 		this.template = template;
@@ -151,4 +155,12 @@ public class PubSubTests<T> {
 
 		assertNull(bag.poll(1, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
 	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void testStartNoListeners() {
+		container.removeMessageListener(adapter, new ChannelTopic(CHANNEL));
+		container.stop();
+		// DATREDIS-207 This test previously took 5 seconds on start due to monitor wait
+		container.start();
+	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file