diff --git a/Plugins/org.mitk.gui.qt.common/src/internal/QmitkCommonActivator.cpp b/Plugins/org.mitk.gui.qt.common/src/internal/QmitkCommonActivator.cpp
index 6749c88..12b9116 100644
--- a/Plugins/org.mitk.gui.qt.common/src/internal/QmitkCommonActivator.cpp
+++ b/Plugins/org.mitk.gui.qt.common/src/internal/QmitkCommonActivator.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ See LICENSE.txt or http://www.mitk.org for details.
 #include <berryPlatformUI.h>
 #include <mitkLogMacros.h>
 
+#include <QTimer>
+
 QmitkCommonActivator* QmitkCommonActivator::m_Instance = nullptr;
 ctkPluginContext* QmitkCommonActivator::m_Context = nullptr;
 
@@ -44,15 +46,7 @@ QmitkCommonActivator::start(ctkPluginContext* context)
   this->m_Context = context;
   this->m_PrefServiceTracker.reset(new ctkServiceTracker<berry::IPreferencesService*>(context));
 
-  if(berry::PlatformUI::IsWorkbenchRunning())
-  {
-    m_ViewCoordinator.reset(new QmitkViewCoordinator);
-    m_ViewCoordinator->Start();
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    MITK_ERROR << "BlueBerry Workbench not running!";
-  }
+  InitializeViewCoordinator();
 }
 
 void
@@ -60,8 +54,11 @@ QmitkCommonActivator::stop(ctkPluginContext* context)
 {
   Q_UNUSED(context)
 
-  m_ViewCoordinator->Stop();
-  m_ViewCoordinator.reset();
+  if (m_ViewCoordinator != nullptr)
+  {
+    m_ViewCoordinator->Stop();
+    m_ViewCoordinator.reset();
+  }
 
   this->m_PrefServiceTracker.reset();
 
@@ -69,6 +66,22 @@ QmitkCommonActivator::stop(ctkPluginContext* context)
   this->m_Instance = nullptr;
 }
 
+void
+QmitkCommonActivator::InitializeViewCoordinator()
+{
+  if(berry::PlatformUI::IsWorkbenchRunning())
+  {
+    m_ViewCoordinator.reset(new QmitkViewCoordinator);
+    m_ViewCoordinator->Start();
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    MITK_WARN << "Delaying start of QmitkViewCoordinator..";
+    QTimer::singleShot(100, this, SLOT(InitializeViewCoordinator()));
+  }
+
+}
+
 #if QT_VERSION < QT_VERSION_CHECK(5, 0, 0)
   Q_EXPORT_PLUGIN2(org_mitk_gui_qt_common, QmitkCommonActivator)
 #endif
diff --git a/Plugins/org.mitk.gui.qt.common/src/internal/QmitkCommonActivator.h b/Plugins/org.mitk.gui.qt.common/src/internal/QmitkCommonActivator.h
index b287e2f..aad40b7 100644
--- a/Plugins/org.mitk.gui.qt.common/src/internal/QmitkCommonActivator.h
+++ b/Plugins/org.mitk.gui.qt.common/src/internal/QmitkCommonActivator.h
@@ -54,6 +54,16 @@ public:
   void start(ctkPluginContext* context) override;
   void stop(ctkPluginContext* context) override;
 
+private slots:
+
+  /**
+   * Creates/starts QmitkViewCoordinator if workbench
+   * is running.
+   * If workbench is not yet running, method will
+   * re-try via QTimer until workbench is finally up.
+   */
+  void InitializeViewCoordinator();
+
 private:
 
   static QmitkCommonActivator* m_Instance;