diff --git a/spring-cloud-gateway-server/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/gateway/filter/WeightCalculatorWebFilter.java b/spring-cloud-gateway-server/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/gateway/filter/WeightCalculatorWebFilter.java
index 1b7b17b9..9353c446 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-gateway-server/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/gateway/filter/WeightCalculatorWebFilter.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-gateway-server/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/gateway/filter/WeightCalculatorWebFilter.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Random;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
@@ -68,6 +69,8 @@ public class WeightCalculatorWebFilter implements WebFilter, Ordered, SmartAppli
 
 	private Map<String, GroupWeightConfig> groupWeights = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
 
+	private final AtomicBoolean routeLocatorInitialized = new AtomicBoolean();
+
 	public WeightCalculatorWebFilter(ObjectProvider<RouteLocator> routeLocator,
 			ConfigurationService configurationService) {
 		this.routeLocator = routeLocator;
@@ -123,7 +126,16 @@ public class WeightCalculatorWebFilter implements WebFilter, Ordered, SmartAppli
 		}
 		else if (event instanceof RefreshRoutesEvent && routeLocator != null) {
 			// forces initialization
-			routeLocator.ifAvailable(locator -> locator.getRoutes().subscribe());
+			if (routeLocatorInitialized.compareAndSet(false, true)) {
+				// on first time, block so that app fails to start if there are errors in
+				// routes
+				// see gh-1574
+				routeLocator.ifAvailable(locator -> locator.getRoutes().blockLast());
+			}
+			else {
+				// this preserves previous behaviour on refresh, this could likely go away
+				routeLocator.ifAvailable(locator -> locator.getRoutes().subscribe());
+			}
 		}
 
 	}
diff --git a/spring-cloud-gateway-server/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/gateway/test/RouteConstructionIntegrationTests.java b/spring-cloud-gateway-server/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/gateway/test/RouteConstructionIntegrationTests.java
index f5669522..ceefb7a5 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-gateway-server/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/gateway/test/RouteConstructionIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-gateway-server/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/gateway/test/RouteConstructionIntegrationTests.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 package org.springframework.cloud.gateway.test;
 
-import org.junit.Ignore;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 import org.springframework.boot.SpringBootConfiguration;
@@ -31,7 +30,6 @@ import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatThrownBy;
 public class RouteConstructionIntegrationTests {
 
 	@Test
-	@Ignore // FIXME: https://github.com/spring-cloud/spring-cloud-gateway/issues/1676
 	public void routesWithVerificationShouldFail() {
 		assertThatThrownBy(() -> new SpringApplicationBuilder(TestConfig.class).profiles("verification-route").run())
 				.hasMessageContaining("Stop right now!");