diff --git a/fail2ban/server/server.py b/fail2ban/server/server.py
index 2586ec73..e5b81db8 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/server.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/server.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ except ImportError: # pragma: no cover
 
 class Server:
 	
-	def __init__(self, daemon = False):
+	def __init__(self, daemon=False):
 		self.__loggingLock = Lock()
 		self.__lock = RLock()
 		self.__jails = Jails()
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class Server:
 		logSys.debug("Caught signal %d. Flushing logs" % signum)
 		self.flushLogs()
 
-	def start(self, sock, pidfile, force = False):
+	def start(self, sock, pidfile, force=False, observer=True):
 		logSys.info("Starting Fail2ban v%s", version.version)
 		
 		# Install signal handlers
@@ -112,6 +112,12 @@ class Server:
 		except IOError, e:
 			logSys.error("Unable to create PID file: %s" % e)
 		
+		# Create observers and start it:
+		if observer:
+			if Observers.Main is None:
+				Observers.Main = ObserverThread()
+				Observers.Main.start()
+
 		# Start the communication
 		logSys.debug("Starting communication")
 		try:
@@ -150,15 +156,10 @@ class Server:
 			self.__loggingLock.release()
 
 	def addJail(self, name, backend):
-		# Create an observer if not yet created and start it:
-		if Observers.Main is None:
-			Observers.Main = ObserverThread()
-			Observers.Main.start()
 		# Add jail hereafter:
 		self.__jails.add(name, backend, self.__db)
 		if self.__db is not None:
 			self.__db.addJail(self.__jails[name])
-			Observers.Main.db_set(self.__db)
 
 	def delJail(self, name):
 		if self.__db is not None:
@@ -541,6 +542,8 @@ class Server:
 				logSys.error(
 					"Unable to import fail2ban database module as sqlite "
 					"is not available.")
+		if Observers.Main is not None:
+			Observers.Main.db_set(self.__db)
 	
 	def getDatabase(self):
 		return self.__db
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py b/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
index 873fa00c..dbe80c32 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class TransmitterBase(unittest.TestCase):
 			'fail2ban.pid', 'transmitter')
 		os.close(pidfile_fd)
 		self.tmp_files.append(pidfile_name)
-		self.server.start(sock_name, pidfile_name, force=False)
+		self.server.start(sock_name, pidfile_name, **self.server_start_args)
 		self.jailName = "TestJail1"
 		self.server.addJail(self.jailName, FAST_BACKEND)
 
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ class Transmitter(TransmitterBase):
 
 	def setUp(self):
 		self.server = TestServer()
+		self.server_start_args = {'force':False, 'observer':False}
 		super(Transmitter, self).setUp()
 
 	def testStopServer(self):
@@ -795,6 +796,7 @@ class TransmitterLogging(TransmitterBase):
 		self.server.setLogTarget("/dev/null")
 		self.server.setLogLevel("CRITICAL")
 		self.server.setSyslogSocket("auto")
+		self.server_start_args = {'force':False, 'observer':False}
 		super(TransmitterLogging, self).setUp()
 
 	def testLogTarget(self):
@@ -912,6 +914,18 @@ class TransmitterLogging(TransmitterBase):
 		self.setGetTest("bantime.multipliers", "1 5 30 60 300 720 1440 2880", "1 5 30 60 300 720 1440 2880", jail=self.jailName)
 		self.setGetTest("bantime.overalljails", "true", "true", jail=self.jailName)
 
+
+class TransmitterWithObserver(TransmitterBase):
+
+	def setUp(self):
+		self.server = TestServer()
+		self.server_start_args = {'force':False, 'observer':True}
+		super(TransmitterWithObserver, self).setUp()
+
+	def testObserver(self):
+		pass
+
+
 class JailTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
 	def testLongName(self):
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/utils.py b/fail2ban/tests/utils.py
index 54299157..0ba0c7c6 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/utils.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/utils.py
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ def gatherTests(regexps=None, opts=None):
 		tests = FilteredTestSuite()
 
 	# Server
-	#tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(servertestcase.StartStop))
 	tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(servertestcase.Transmitter))
+	tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(servertestcase.TransmitterWithObserver))
 	tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(servertestcase.JailTests))
 	tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(servertestcase.RegexTests))
 	tests.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(servertestcase.LoggingTests))