diff --git a/lib/framework/APSettingsService.cpp b/lib/framework/APSettingsService.cpp
index 98ceb58..fa71071 100644
--- a/lib/framework/APSettingsService.cpp
+++ b/lib/framework/APSettingsService.cpp
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 #include <APSettingsService.h>
 
-APSettingsService::APSettingsService(AsyncWebServer* server, FS* fs, SecurityManager* securityManager) : AdminSettingsService(server, fs, securityManager, AP_SETTINGS_SERVICE_PATH, AP_SETTINGS_FILE) {
-  onConfigUpdated();
-}
+APSettingsService::APSettingsService(AsyncWebServer* server, FS* fs, SecurityManager* securityManager) : AdminSettingsService(server, fs, securityManager, AP_SETTINGS_SERVICE_PATH, AP_SETTINGS_FILE) {}
 
 APSettingsService::~APSettingsService() {}
 
+void APSettingsService::begin() {
+  SettingsService::begin();
+  onConfigUpdated();
+}
+
 void APSettingsService::loop() {
   unsigned long currentMillis = millis();
   unsigned long manageElapsed = (unsigned long)(currentMillis - _lastManaged);
@@ -80,7 +83,4 @@ void APSettingsService::writeToJsonObject(JsonObject& root) {
 
 void APSettingsService::onConfigUpdated() {
   _lastManaged = millis() - MANAGE_NETWORK_DELAY;
-
-  // stop softAP - forces reconfiguration in loop()
-  stopAP();
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/framework/APSettingsService.h b/lib/framework/APSettingsService.h
index 0ff46fb..d18d3d2 100644
--- a/lib/framework/APSettingsService.h
+++ b/lib/framework/APSettingsService.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class APSettingsService : public AdminSettingsService {
     APSettingsService(AsyncWebServer* server, FS* fs, SecurityManager* securityManager);
     ~APSettingsService();
 
+    void begin();
     void loop();
 
   protected:
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ class APSettingsService : public AdminSettingsService {
 
     void manageAP();
     void startAP();
-    void stopAP();
+    void stopAP() ;
     void handleDNS();
 
 };
diff --git a/lib/framework/AuthenticationService.cpp b/lib/framework/AuthenticationService.cpp
index 9ae675c..95f5323 100644
--- a/lib/framework/AuthenticationService.cpp
+++ b/lib/framework/AuthenticationService.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #include <AuthenticationService.h>
 
-AuthenticationService::AuthenticationService(AsyncWebServer* server, SecurityManager* securityManager) {
+AuthenticationService::AuthenticationService(AsyncWebServer* server, SecurityManager* securityManager) : _securityManager(securityManager) {
   server->on(VERIFY_AUTHORIZATION_PATH, HTTP_GET, std::bind(&AuthenticationService::verifyAuthorization, this, std::placeholders::_1));
 
   _signInHandler.setUri(SIGN_IN_PATH);
diff --git a/lib/framework/ESP8266React.cpp b/lib/framework/ESP8266React.cpp
index ff43a37..0087cab 100644
--- a/lib/framework/ESP8266React.cpp
+++ b/lib/framework/ESP8266React.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,14 @@ ESP8266React::ESP8266React(AsyncWebServer* server, FS* fs):
   #endif  
 }
 
+void ESP8266React::begin() {
+  _securitySettingsService.begin();
+  _wifiSettingsService.begin();
+  _apSettingsService.begin();
+  _ntpSettingsService.begin();
+  _otaSettingsService.begin();
+}
+
 void ESP8266React::loop() {  
   _wifiSettingsService.loop();
   _apSettingsService.loop();
diff --git a/lib/framework/ESP8266React.h b/lib/framework/ESP8266React.h
index 1f1ae42..d71ca31 100644
--- a/lib/framework/ESP8266React.h
+++ b/lib/framework/ESP8266React.h
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ class ESP8266React {
   public:
 
     ESP8266React(AsyncWebServer* server, FS* fs);
-
+    
+    void begin();
     void loop();
     
     SecurityManager* getSecurityManager(){
diff --git a/lib/framework/SettingsService.h b/lib/framework/SettingsService.h
index b0317f7..ab16e10 100644
--- a/lib/framework/SettingsService.h
+++ b/lib/framework/SettingsService.h
@@ -31,13 +31,15 @@ class SettingsService : public SettingsPersistence {
       _updateHandler.setMaxContentLength(MAX_SETTINGS_SIZE);
       _updateHandler.onRequest(std::bind(&SettingsService::updateConfig, this, std::placeholders::_1, std::placeholders::_2));
       server->addHandler(&_updateHandler);     
-
-      // read the initial data from the file system
-      readFromFS();
     }
 
     virtual ~SettingsService() {}
 
+    void begin() {
+      // read the initial data from the file system
+      readFromFS();
+    }
+
 protected:
   char const* _servicePath;
   AsyncJsonWebHandler _updateHandler;
diff --git a/lib/framework/WiFiSettingsService.cpp b/lib/framework/WiFiSettingsService.cpp
index b8e54a9..49f3943 100644
--- a/lib/framework/WiFiSettingsService.cpp
+++ b/lib/framework/WiFiSettingsService.cpp
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@ WiFiSettingsService::WiFiSettingsService(AsyncWebServer* server, FS* fs, Securit
   WiFi.persistent(false);
   WiFi.setAutoReconnect(false);
 
-  // Force WiFi config to be applied when loop() called
-  reconfigureWiFiConnection();
-
 #if defined(ESP8266)
   _onStationModeDisconnectedHandler = WiFi.onStationModeDisconnected(std::bind(&WiFiSettingsService::onStationModeDisconnected, this, std::placeholders::_1));
 #elif defined(ESP_PLATFORM)
@@ -20,6 +17,11 @@ WiFiSettingsService::WiFiSettingsService(AsyncWebServer* server, FS* fs, Securit
 
 WiFiSettingsService::~WiFiSettingsService() {}
 
+void WiFiSettingsService::begin() {
+  SettingsService::begin();
+  reconfigureWiFiConnection();
+}
+
 void WiFiSettingsService::readFromJsonObject(JsonObject& root){
     _ssid = root["ssid"] | "";
     _password = root["password"] | "";
diff --git a/lib/framework/WiFiSettingsService.h b/lib/framework/WiFiSettingsService.h
index e5e6c7e..149325a 100644
--- a/lib/framework/WiFiSettingsService.h
+++ b/lib/framework/WiFiSettingsService.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class WiFiSettingsService : public AdminSettingsService {
     WiFiSettingsService(AsyncWebServer* server, FS* fs, SecurityManager* securityManager);
     ~WiFiSettingsService();
 
+    void begin();
     void loop();
 
   protected:
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 0447458..af7effb 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -5,21 +5,27 @@
 #define SERIAL_BAUD_RATE 115200
 
 AsyncWebServer server(80);
-ESP8266React framework(&server, &SPIFFS);
-DemoProject demoProject = DemoProject(&server, &SPIFFS, framework.getSecurityManager());
+ESP8266React esp8266React(&server, &SPIFFS);
+DemoProject demoProject = DemoProject(&server, &SPIFFS, esp8266React.getSecurityManager());
 
 void setup() {
   // start serial and filesystem
   Serial.begin(SERIAL_BAUD_RATE);
+
+  // start the file system (must be done before starting the framework)
   SPIFFS.begin();
-  
+
+  // start the framework and demo project
+  esp8266React.begin();
+  demoProject.begin();
+
   // start the server
   server.begin();
 }
 
 void loop() {
   // run the framework's loop function
-  framework.loop();
+  esp8266React.loop();
 
   // run the demo project's loop function
   demoProject.loop();