diff --git a/apps/api/src/app/groups/groups.service.test.ts b/apps/api/src/app/groups/groups.service.test.ts
index 812097ff..05249b02 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/app/groups/groups.service.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/app/groups/groups.service.test.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ describe("GroupsService", () => {
         groupsService = await module.resolve(GroupsService)
         invitesService = await module.resolve(InvitesService)
 
+        await groupsService.initialize()
+
         const { id } = await groupsService.createGroup(
             {
                 name: "Group1",
@@ -723,4 +725,17 @@ describe("GroupsService", () => {
             await expect(fun).rejects.toThrow("You are not the admin")
         })
     })
+
+    describe("# initialize", () => {
+        it("Should initialize the cached groups", async () => {
+            const currentCachedGroups = await groupsService.getGroups()
+
+            await groupsService.initialize()
+
+            const updatedCachedGroups = await groupsService.getGroups()
+
+            expect(currentCachedGroups).toHaveLength(updatedCachedGroups.length)
+            expect(currentCachedGroups).toStrictEqual(updatedCachedGroups)
+        })
+    })
 })
diff --git a/apps/api/src/app/groups/groups.service.ts b/apps/api/src/app/groups/groups.service.ts
index 6ccd3dfa..c36de814 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/app/groups/groups.service.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/app/groups/groups.service.ts
@@ -39,13 +39,19 @@ export class GroupsService {
             process.env.BACKEND_PRIVATE_KEY as string,
             process.env.INFURA_API_KEY as string
         )
+    }
 
-        this._cacheGroups()
+    /**
+     * Initialises the service, caches groups and may sync contract
+     * groups if required.
+     */
+    async initialize() {
+        await this._cacheGroups()
 
         /* istanbul ignore next */
         if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== "test") {
-            setTimeout(() => {
-                this._syncContractGroups()
+            setTimeout(async () => {
+                await this._syncContractGroups()
             }, 5000)
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/api/src/main.ts b/apps/api/src/main.ts
index ea97a6c8..cbd02fe5 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/main.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/main.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,14 @@ import { NestFactory } from "@nestjs/core"
 import { SwaggerModule, DocumentBuilder } from "@nestjs/swagger"
 import { ironSession } from "iron-session/express"
 import { AppModule } from "./app/app.module"
+import { GroupsService } from "./app/groups/groups.service"
 
 async function bootstrap() {
     const app = await NestFactory.create(AppModule)
 
+    const groupService = app.get(GroupsService)
+    await groupService.initialize()
+
     app.useGlobalPipes(
         new ValidationPipe({
             whitelist: true,