diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b61727b605f..215665f0cec 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ const server = new ApolloServer({
 const app = require('fastify')();
 
 (async function () { 
-  app.register(await server.createHandler());
+  app.register(server.createHandler());
   await app.listen(3000);
 })();
 ```
diff --git a/packages/apollo-server-fastify/README.md b/packages/apollo-server-fastify/README.md
index 230569ec2d3..39a322c49af 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-server-fastify/README.md
+++ b/packages/apollo-server-fastify/README.md
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const server = new ApolloServer({
 const app = require('fastify')();
 
 (async function () { 
-  app.register(await server.createHandler());
+  app.register(server.createHandler());
   await app.listen(3000);
 })();
 ```
diff --git a/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/ApolloServer.ts b/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/ApolloServer.ts
index f5d215b18a7..69bd4e72826 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/ApolloServer.ts
+++ b/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/ApolloServer.ts
@@ -36,18 +36,20 @@ export class ApolloServer extends ApolloServerBase {
     return true;
   }
 
-  public async createHandler({
+  public createHandler({
     path,
     cors,
     disableHealthCheck,
     onHealthCheck,
   }: ServerRegistration = {}) {
     this.graphqlPath = path ? path : '/graphql';
-    await this.willStart();
+    const promiseWillStart = this.willStart();
 
     return async (
       app: FastifyInstance<Server, IncomingMessage, OutgoingMessage>,
     ) => {
+      await promiseWillStart;
+
       if (!disableHealthCheck) {
         app.get('/.well-known/apollo/server-health', async (req, res) => {
           // Response follows https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-inadarei-api-health-check-01
diff --git a/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/ApolloServer.test.ts b/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/ApolloServer.test.ts
index 68ae1e29d2c..1abf86e5ad0 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/ApolloServer.test.ts
+++ b/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/ApolloServer.test.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ describe('apollo-server-fastify', () => {
     async options => {
       server = new ApolloServer(options);
       app = fastify();
-      app.register(await server.createHandler());
+      app.register(server.createHandler());
       await app.listen(port);
       return createServerInfo(server, app.server);
     },
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ describe('apollo-server-fastify', () => {
     server = new ApolloServer(serverOptions);
     app = fastify();
 
-    app.register(await server.createHandler(options));
+    app.register(server.createHandler(options));
     await app.listen(port);
 
     return createServerInfo(server, app.server);
diff --git a/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/datasource.test.ts b/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/datasource.test.ts
index 79d279f0c5f..d7c6d9f5f7d 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/datasource.test.ts
+++ b/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/datasource.test.ts
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ describe('apollo-server-fastify', () => {
     });
     app = fastify();
 
-    app.register(await server.createHandler());
+    app.register(server.createHandler());
     await app.listen(6667);
     const { url: uri } = createServerInfo(server, app.server);
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ describe('apollo-server-fastify', () => {
     });
     app = fastify();
 
-    app.register(await server.createHandler());
+    app.register(server.createHandler());
     await app.listen(6668);
     const { url: uri } = createServerInfo(server, app.server);
 
diff --git a/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/fastifyApollo.test.ts b/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/fastifyApollo.test.ts
index c85c0e44b83..d81d4d0126b 100644
--- a/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/fastifyApollo.test.ts
+++ b/packages/apollo-server-fastify/src/__tests__/fastifyApollo.test.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ async function createApp(options: CreateAppOptions = {}) {
     (options.graphqlOptions as Config) || { schema: Schema },
   );
 
-  app.register(await server.createHandler());
+  app.register(server.createHandler());
   await app.listen();
 
   return app.server;