diff --git a/include/sway/server.h b/include/sway/server.h
index a017d1c4..70bde6d4 100644
--- a/include/sway/server.h
+++ b/include/sway/server.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ struct sway_server server;
 bool server_privileged_prepare(struct sway_server *server);
 bool server_init(struct sway_server *server);
 void server_fini(struct sway_server *server);
+bool server_start_backend(struct sway_server *server);
 void server_run(struct sway_server *server);
 
 void handle_new_output(struct wl_listener *listener, void *data);
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index c620e4c7..00500812 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -649,7 +649,6 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config) {
 		} else {
 			res = config_command(expanded);
 		}
-		free(expanded);
 		switch(res->status) {
 		case CMD_FAILURE:
 		case CMD_INVALID:
@@ -660,7 +659,7 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config) {
 
 		case CMD_DEFER:
 			wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Deferring command `%s'", line);
-			list_add(config->cmd_queue, strdup(line));
+			list_add(config->cmd_queue, strdup(expanded));
 			break;
 
 		case CMD_BLOCK_COMMANDS:
@@ -693,6 +692,7 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config) {
 					sizeof(config->handler_context));
 		default:;
 		}
+		free(expanded);
 		free(line);
 		free_cmd_results(res);
 	}
diff --git a/sway/main.c b/sway/main.c
index 1a55b519..a20f1dac 100644
--- a/sway/main.c
+++ b/sway/main.c
@@ -429,9 +429,16 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	security_sanity_check();
 
-	config->active = true;
 	setenv("WAYLAND_DISPLAY", server.socket, true);
+	if (!terminate_request) {
+		if (!server_start_backend(&server)) {
+			sway_terminate(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		}
+	}
+
+	config->active = true;
 	// Execute commands until there are none left
+	wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG, "Running deferred commands");
 	while (config->cmd_queue->length) {
 		char *line = config->cmd_queue->items[0];
 		struct cmd_results *res = execute_command(line, NULL);
diff --git a/sway/server.c b/sway/server.c
index f904b177..ee71d538 100644
--- a/sway/server.c
+++ b/sway/server.c
@@ -137,13 +137,19 @@ void server_fini(struct sway_server *server) {
 	list_free(server->transactions);
 }
 
-void server_run(struct sway_server *server) {
-	wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "Running compositor on wayland display '%s'",
+bool server_start_backend(struct sway_server *server) {
+	wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "Starting backend on wayland display '%s'",
 			server->socket);
 	if (!wlr_backend_start(server->backend)) {
 		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Failed to start backend");
 		wlr_backend_destroy(server->backend);
-		return;
+		return false;
 	}
+	return true;
+}
+
+void server_run(struct sway_server *server) {
+	wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "Running compositor on wayland display '%s'",
+			server->socket);
 	wl_display_run(server->wl_display);
 }