diff --git a/internal/openvpn/logs.go b/internal/openvpn/logs.go
index 4ad2c912..c880e88d 100644
--- a/internal/openvpn/logs.go
+++ b/internal/openvpn/logs.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func (l *Loop) collectLines(ctx context.Context, done chan<- struct{},
-	stdout, stderr chan string) {
+	stdout, stderr chan string, tunnelUpData tunnelUpData) {
 	defer close(done)
 
 	var line string
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ func (l *Loop) collectLines(ctx context.Context, done chan<- struct{},
 			l.logger.Error(line)
 		}
 		if strings.Contains(line, "Initialization Sequence Completed") {
-			l.onTunnelUp(ctx)
-			l.startPFCh <- struct{}{}
+			l.onTunnelUp(ctx, tunnelUpData)
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/openvpn/loop.go b/internal/openvpn/loop.go
index 11200e2e..7cb00c53 100644
--- a/internal/openvpn/loop.go
+++ b/internal/openvpn/loop.go
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ type Loop struct {
 	start       <-chan struct{}
 	running     chan<- models.LoopStatus
 	userTrigger bool
-	startPFCh   chan struct{}
 	// Internal constant values
 	backoffTime time.Duration
 }
@@ -99,7 +98,6 @@ func NewLoop(openVPNSettings configuration.OpenVPN,
 		stop:          stop,
 		stopped:       stopped,
 		userTrigger:   true,
-		startPFCh:     make(chan struct{}),
 		backoffTime:   defaultBackoffTime,
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/openvpn/portforward.go b/internal/openvpn/portforward.go
index 40db6f3f..0c02f34a 100644
--- a/internal/openvpn/portforward.go
+++ b/internal/openvpn/portforward.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package openvpn
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/qdm12/gluetun/internal/constants"
@@ -9,20 +11,24 @@ import (
 	"github.com/qdm12/gluetun/internal/provider"
 )
 
-func (l *Loop) startPortForwarding(ctx context.Context,
-	enabled bool, portForwarder provider.PortForwarder,
-	serverName string) {
+var (
+	errObtainVPNLocalGateway = errors.New("cannot obtain VPN local gateway IP")
+	errStartPortForwarding   = errors.New("cannot start port forwarding")
+)
+
+func (l *Loop) startPortForwarding(ctx context.Context, enabled bool,
+	portForwarder provider.PortForwarder, serverName string) (err error) {
 	if !enabled {
-		return
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	// only used for PIA for now
 	gateway, err := l.routing.VPNLocalGatewayIP()
 	if err != nil {
-		l.logger.Error("cannot obtain VPN local gateway IP: " + err.Error())
-		return
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", errObtainVPNLocalGateway, err)
 	}
 	l.logger.Info("VPN gateway IP address: " + gateway.String())
+
 	pfData := portforward.StartData{
 		PortForwarder: portForwarder,
 		Gateway:       gateway,
@@ -31,8 +37,10 @@ func (l *Loop) startPortForwarding(ctx context.Context,
 	}
 	_, err = l.portForward.Start(ctx, pfData)
 	if err != nil {
-		l.logger.Error("cannot start port forwarding: " + err.Error())
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", errStartPortForwarding, err)
 	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (l *Loop) stopPortForwarding(ctx context.Context, enabled bool,
diff --git a/internal/openvpn/run.go b/internal/openvpn/run.go
index 74b13ddf..26e01a77 100644
--- a/internal/openvpn/run.go
+++ b/internal/openvpn/run.go
@@ -73,8 +73,13 @@ func (l *Loop) Run(ctx context.Context, done chan<- struct{}) {
 
 		linesCollectionCtx, linesCollectionCancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 		lineCollectionDone := make(chan struct{})
+		tunnelUpData := tunnelUpData{
+			portForwarding: providerSettings.PortForwarding.Enabled,
+			serverName:     connection.Hostname,
+			portForwarder:  providerConf,
+		}
 		go l.collectLines(linesCollectionCtx, lineCollectionDone,
-			stdoutLines, stderrLines)
+			stdoutLines, stderrLines, tunnelUpData)
 		closeStreams := func() {
 			linesCollectionCancel()
 			<-lineCollectionDone
@@ -86,9 +91,6 @@ func (l *Loop) Run(ctx context.Context, done chan<- struct{}) {
 		stayHere := true
 		for stayHere {
 			select {
-			case <-l.startPFCh:
-				l.startPortForwarding(ctx, providerSettings.PortForwarding.Enabled,
-					providerConf, connection.Hostname)
 			case <-ctx.Done():
 				const pfTimeout = 100 * time.Millisecond
 				l.stopPortForwarding(context.Background(),
diff --git a/internal/openvpn/tunnelup.go b/internal/openvpn/tunnelup.go
index 7515e712..0c21ef25 100644
--- a/internal/openvpn/tunnelup.go
+++ b/internal/openvpn/tunnelup.go
@@ -4,10 +4,18 @@ import (
 	"context"
 
 	"github.com/qdm12/gluetun/internal/constants"
+	"github.com/qdm12/gluetun/internal/provider"
 	"github.com/qdm12/gluetun/internal/version"
 )
 
-func (l *Loop) onTunnelUp(ctx context.Context) {
+type tunnelUpData struct {
+	// Port forwarding
+	portForwarding bool
+	serverName     string
+	portForwarder  provider.PortForwarder
+}
+
+func (l *Loop) onTunnelUp(ctx context.Context, data tunnelUpData) {
 	vpnDestination, err := l.routing.VPNDestinationIP()
 	if err != nil {
 		l.logger.Warn(err.Error())
@@ -30,4 +38,9 @@ func (l *Loop) onTunnelUp(ctx context.Context) {
 			l.logger.Info(message)
 		}
 	}
+
+	err = l.startPortForwarding(ctx, data.portForwarding, data.portForwarder, data.serverName)
+	if err != nil {
+		l.logger.Error(err.Error())
+	}
 }