diff --git a/overwatch-rs/src/services/handle.rs b/overwatch-rs/src/services/handle.rs
index 77f110f..fc796d7 100644
--- a/overwatch-rs/src/services/handle.rs
+++ b/overwatch-rs/src/services/handle.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ pub struct ServiceHandle<S: ServiceData> {
     /// Handle to overwatch
     overwatch_handle: OverwatchHandle,
     settings: SettingsUpdater<S::Settings>,
-    initial_state: S::State,
+    pub initial_state: S::State,
 }
 
 /// Service core resources
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ pub struct ServiceRunner<S: ServiceData> {
     service_state: ServiceStateHandle<S>,
     state_handle: StateHandle<S::State, S::StateOperator>,
     lifecycle_handle: LifecycleHandle,
+    initial_state: S::State,
 }
 
 impl<S: ServiceData> ServiceHandle<S> {
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ impl<S: ServiceData> ServiceHandle<S> {
         // add relay channel to handle
         self.outbound_relay = Some(outbound_relay);
         let settings = self.settings.notifier().get_updated_settings();
-        let operator = S::StateOperator::from_settings::<S::Settings>(settings);
+        let operator = S::StateOperator::from_settings(settings);
         let (state_handle, state_updater) =
             StateHandle::<S::State, S::StateOperator>::new(self.initial_state.clone(), operator);
 
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ impl<S: ServiceData> ServiceHandle<S> {
             service_state,
             state_handle,
             lifecycle_handle,
+            initial_state: self.initial_state.clone(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -132,10 +134,11 @@ where
             service_state,
             state_handle,
             lifecycle_handle,
+            initial_state,
         } = self;
 
         let runtime = service_state.overwatch_handle.runtime().clone();
-        let service = S::init(service_state)?;
+        let service = S::init(service_state, initial_state)?;
 
         runtime.spawn(service.run());
         runtime.spawn(state_handle.run());
diff --git a/overwatch-rs/src/services/mod.rs b/overwatch-rs/src/services/mod.rs
index 5b21843..f50adf0 100644
--- a/overwatch-rs/src/services/mod.rs
+++ b/overwatch-rs/src/services/mod.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ pub trait ServiceData {
 #[async_trait]
 pub trait ServiceCore: Sized + ServiceData {
     /// Initialize the service with the given state
-    fn init(service_state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>) -> Result<Self, super::DynError>;
+    fn init(
+        service_state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>,
+        initial_state: Self::State,
+    ) -> Result<Self, super::DynError>;
 
     /// Service main loop
     async fn run(mut self) -> Result<(), super::DynError>;
diff --git a/overwatch-rs/src/services/state.rs b/overwatch-rs/src/services/state.rs
index 828e265..ae11291 100644
--- a/overwatch-rs/src/services/state.rs
+++ b/overwatch-rs/src/services/state.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ pub trait StateOperator {
     /// The type of state that the operator can handle
     type StateInput: ServiceState;
     /// Operator initialization method. Can be implemented over some subset of settings
-    fn from_settings<Settings>(settings: Settings) -> Self;
+    fn from_settings(settings: <Self::StateInput as ServiceState>::Settings) -> Self;
     /// Asynchronously perform an operation for a given state
     async fn run(&mut self, state: Self::StateInput);
 }
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ impl<T> Clone for NoOperator<T> {
 impl<StateInput: ServiceState> StateOperator for NoOperator<StateInput> {
     type StateInput = StateInput;
 
-    fn from_settings<Settings>(_settings: Settings) -> Self {
+    fn from_settings(_settings: <Self::StateInput as ServiceState>::Settings) -> Self {
         NoOperator(PhantomData)
     }
 
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ mod test {
     impl StateOperator for PanicOnGreaterThanTen {
         type StateInput = UsizeCounter;
 
-        fn from_settings<Settings>(_settings: Settings) -> Self {
+        fn from_settings(_settings: <Self::StateInput as ServiceState>::Settings) -> Self {
             Self
         }
 
diff --git a/overwatch-rs/tests/cancelable_service.rs b/overwatch-rs/tests/cancelable_service.rs
index e0ab96f..bc95ad1 100644
--- a/overwatch-rs/tests/cancelable_service.rs
+++ b/overwatch-rs/tests/cancelable_service.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@ impl ServiceData for CancellableService {
 
 #[async_trait::async_trait]
 impl ServiceCore for CancellableService {
-    fn init(service_state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>) -> Result<Self, DynError> {
+    fn init(
+        service_state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>,
+        _initial_state: Self::State,
+    ) -> Result<Self, DynError> {
         Ok(Self { service_state })
     }
 
diff --git a/overwatch-rs/tests/generics.rs b/overwatch-rs/tests/generics.rs
index 9a88406..4363395 100644
--- a/overwatch-rs/tests/generics.rs
+++ b/overwatch-rs/tests/generics.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,10 @@ impl<T: Send> ServiceCore for GenericService<T>
 where
     T: Debug + 'static + Sync,
 {
-    fn init(state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>) -> Result<Self, overwatch_rs::DynError> {
+    fn init(
+        state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>,
+        _initial_state: Self::State,
+    ) -> Result<Self, overwatch_rs::DynError> {
         Ok(Self {
             state,
             _phantom: std::marker::PhantomData,
diff --git a/overwatch-rs/tests/print_service.rs b/overwatch-rs/tests/print_service.rs
index b206a98..dc37538 100644
--- a/overwatch-rs/tests/print_service.rs
+++ b/overwatch-rs/tests/print_service.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,10 @@ impl ServiceData for PrintService {
 
 #[async_trait]
 impl ServiceCore for PrintService {
-    fn init(state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>) -> Result<Self, overwatch_rs::DynError> {
+    fn init(
+        state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>,
+        _initial_state: Self::State,
+    ) -> Result<Self, overwatch_rs::DynError> {
         Ok(Self { state })
     }
 
diff --git a/overwatch-rs/tests/settings_update.rs b/overwatch-rs/tests/settings_update.rs
index ebe0c46..7ddaca5 100644
--- a/overwatch-rs/tests/settings_update.rs
+++ b/overwatch-rs/tests/settings_update.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ impl ServiceData for SettingsService {
 
 #[async_trait]
 impl ServiceCore for SettingsService {
-    fn init(state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>) -> Result<Self, overwatch_rs::DynError> {
+    fn init(
+        state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>,
+        _initial_state: Self::State,
+    ) -> Result<Self, overwatch_rs::DynError> {
         Ok(Self { state })
     }
 
diff --git a/overwatch-rs/tests/state_handling.rs b/overwatch-rs/tests/state_handling.rs
index 5bc30c2..fd58431 100644
--- a/overwatch-rs/tests/state_handling.rs
+++ b/overwatch-rs/tests/state_handling.rs
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ pub struct CounterStateOperator;
 impl StateOperator for CounterStateOperator {
     type StateInput = CounterState;
 
-    fn from_settings<Settings>(_settings: Settings) -> Self {
+    fn from_settings(_settings: <Self::StateInput as ServiceState>::Settings) -> Self {
         CounterStateOperator
     }
 
@@ -75,7 +75,10 @@ impl ServiceData for UpdateStateService {
 
 #[async_trait]
 impl ServiceCore for UpdateStateService {
-    fn init(state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>) -> Result<Self, overwatch_rs::DynError> {
+    fn init(
+        state: ServiceStateHandle<Self>,
+        _initial_state: Self::State,
+    ) -> Result<Self, overwatch_rs::DynError> {
         Ok(Self { state })
     }