diff --git a/system-test/maxtest/src/testconnections.cc b/system-test/maxtest/src/testconnections.cc
index aa0077e38..fc1e624c0 100644
--- a/system-test/maxtest/src/testconnections.cc
+++ b/system-test/maxtest/src/testconnections.cc
@@ -501,11 +501,6 @@ TestConnections::TestConnections(int argc, char* argv[])
         }
     }
 
-    if (maxscale_init)
-    {
-        init_maxscales();
-    }
-
     if (backend_ssl)
     {
         tprintf("Configuring backends for ssl \n");
@@ -517,6 +512,11 @@ TestConnections::TestConnections(int argc, char* argv[])
         }
     }
 
+    if (maxscale_init)
+    {
+        init_maxscales();
+    }
+
     if (mdbci_call_needed)
     {
         int ec;