diff --git a/synapse/app/_base.py b/synapse/app/_base.py
index fb476ddaf5..8bb0b142ca 100644
--- a/synapse/app/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/app/_base.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from twisted.protocols.tls import TLSMemoryBIOFactory
 
 import synapse
 from synapse.app import check_bind_error
+from synapse.app.phone_stats_home import start_phone_stats_home
 from synapse.config.server import ListenerConfig
 from synapse.crypto import context_factory
 from synapse.logging.context import PreserveLoggingContext
@@ -274,6 +275,11 @@ def start(hs: "synapse.server.HomeServer", listeners: Iterable[ListenerConfig]):
         setup_sentry(hs)
         setup_sdnotify(hs)
 
+        # If background tasks are running on the main process, start collecting the
+        # phone home stats.
+        if hs.config.run_background_tasks:
+            start_phone_stats_home(hs)
+
         # We now freeze all allocated objects in the hopes that (almost)
         # everything currently allocated are things that will be used for the
         # rest of time. Doing so means less work each GC (hopefully).
diff --git a/synapse/app/admin_cmd.py b/synapse/app/admin_cmd.py
index 7d309b1bb0..f0d65d08d7 100644
--- a/synapse/app/admin_cmd.py
+++ b/synapse/app/admin_cmd.py
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@ def start(config_options):
 
     # Explicitly disable background processes
     config.update_user_directory = False
+    config.run_background_tasks = False
     config.start_pushers = False
     config.send_federation = False
 
diff --git a/synapse/app/generic_worker.py b/synapse/app/generic_worker.py
index 367ec2c57e..fc5188ce95 100644
--- a/synapse/app/generic_worker.py
+++ b/synapse/app/generic_worker.py
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ from synapse.api.urls import (
     SERVER_KEY_V2_PREFIX,
 )
 from synapse.app import _base
-from synapse.app.phone_stats_home import start_phone_stats_home
 from synapse.config._base import ConfigError
 from synapse.config.homeserver import HomeServerConfig
 from synapse.config.logger import setup_logging
@@ -978,11 +977,6 @@ def start(config_options):
 
     hs.setup()
 
-    # If background tasks are running on this worker, start collecting the phone
-    # home stats.
-    if hs.config.run_background_tasks:
-        start_phone_stats_home(hs)
-
     # Ensure the replication streamer is always started in case we write to any
     # streams. Will no-op if no streams can be written to by this worker.
     hs.get_replication_streamer()
diff --git a/synapse/app/homeserver.py b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
index 6b57d3024d..4ed4a2c253 100644
--- a/synapse/app/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ from synapse.api.urls import (
 )
 from synapse.app import _base
 from synapse.app._base import listen_ssl, listen_tcp, quit_with_error
-from synapse.app.phone_stats_home import start_phone_stats_home
 from synapse.config._base import ConfigError
 from synapse.config.emailconfig import ThreepidBehaviour
 from synapse.config.homeserver import HomeServerConfig
@@ -491,11 +490,6 @@ def run(hs):
         ThreadPool._worker = profile(ThreadPool._worker)
         reactor.run = profile(reactor.run)
 
-    # If background tasks are running on the main process, start collecting the
-    # phone home stats.
-    if hs.config.run_background_tasks:
-        start_phone_stats_home(hs)
-
     _base.start_reactor(
         "synapse-homeserver",
         soft_file_limit=hs.config.soft_file_limit,