diff --git a/src/ui.c b/src/ui.c
index d164376..b00b7fe 100644
--- a/src/ui.c
+++ b/src/ui.c
@@ -298,6 +298,9 @@
     int	    retval;
 
 #ifdef FEAT_GUI
+    if (gui.starting)
+	/* possibly a system call during startup, check later */
+	return OK;
     if (gui.in_use)
 	retval = gui_get_shellsize();
     else