diff --git a/src/lib/wait_for_remote_peer.ts b/src/lib/wait_for_remote_peer.ts
index e52d9c4139..634eac8401 100644
--- a/src/lib/wait_for_remote_peer.ts
+++ b/src/lib/wait_for_remote_peer.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ export async function waitForRemotePeer(
 ): Promise<void> {
   protocols = protocols ?? [Protocols.Relay];
 
+  if (!waku.isStarted()) return Promise.reject("Waku node is not started");
+
   const promises = [];
 
   if (protocols.includes(Protocols.Relay)) {
diff --git a/src/lib/waku.ts b/src/lib/waku.ts
index 942cee0372..a23cc6dddb 100644
--- a/src/lib/waku.ts
+++ b/src/lib/waku.ts
@@ -107,8 +107,6 @@ export async function createWaku(options?: CreateOptions): Promise<Waku> {
   const wakuLightPush = new WakuLightPush(libp2p, options);
   const wakuFilter = new WakuFilter(libp2p, options);
 
-  await libp2p.start();
-
   return new Waku(options ?? {}, libp2p, wakuStore, wakuLightPush, wakuFilter);
 }
 
@@ -233,6 +231,10 @@ export class Waku {
     await this.libp2p.stop();
   }
 
+  isStarted(): boolean {
+    return this.libp2p.isStarted();
+  }
+
   /**
    * Register a decryption key to attempt decryption of messages received via
    * [[WakuRelay]] and [[WakuStore]]. This can either be a private key for