diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
index 97dae134..6d37c97b 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.cpp
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ void CConfigManager::parseLine(std::string& line) {
         return;
     } else if (COMMAND == "exec-once") {
         if (isFirstLaunch) {
-            handleRawExec(COMMAND, VALUE);
+            firstExecRequests.push_back(VALUE);
         }
         return;
     } else if (COMMAND == "monitor") {
@@ -478,4 +478,17 @@ std::vector<SWindowRule> CConfigManager::getMatchingRules(CWindow* pWindow) {
     }
 
     return returns;
+}
+
+void CConfigManager::dispatchExecOnce() {
+    if (firstExecDispatched || isFirstLaunch)
+        return;
+
+    firstExecDispatched = true;
+
+    for (auto& c : firstExecRequests) {
+        handleRawExec("", c);
+    }
+
+    firstExecRequests.clear(); // free some kb of memory :P
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp b/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
index 663480d4..45946b93 100644
--- a/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
+++ b/src/config/ConfigManager.hpp
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ public:
 
     std::vector<SWindowRule> getMatchingRules(CWindow*);
 
+    // no-op when done.
+    void                dispatchExecOnce();
+
 private:
     std::unordered_map<std::string, SConfigValue> configValues;
     time_t lastModifyTime = 0;  // for reloading the config if changed
@@ -64,6 +67,9 @@ private:
     std::deque<SMonitorRule> m_dMonitorRules;
     std::deque<SWindowRule> m_dWindowRules;
 
+    bool firstExecDispatched = false;
+    std::deque<std::string> firstExecRequests;
+
     // internal methods
     void                loadConfigLoadVars();
     SConfigValue        getConfigValueSafe(std::string);
diff --git a/src/events/Monitors.cpp b/src/events/Monitors.cpp
index ab8c2cb7..ef9518fc 100644
--- a/src/events/Monitors.cpp
+++ b/src/events/Monitors.cpp
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ void Events::listener_monitorFrame(void* owner, void* data) {
         g_pCompositor->sanityCheckWorkspaces();
         g_pAnimationManager->tick();
         g_pCompositor->cleanupWindows();
+
+        g_pConfigManager->dispatchExecOnce(); // We exec-once when at least one monitor starts refreshing, meaning stuff has init'd
     }
 
     timespec now;