diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/consoleserver.py b/confluent_server/confluent/consoleserver.py
index 85ea8762..6d9b0d17 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/consoleserver.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/consoleserver.py
@@ -765,8 +765,10 @@ class ConsoleSession(object):
     :param skipreplay: If true, will skip the attempt to redraw the screen
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, node, configmanager, username, datacallback=None,
+    @classmethod
+    async def create(cls, node, configmanager, username, datacallback=None,
                  skipreplay=False, direct=True, width=80, height=24):
+        self = cls()
         self.registered = False
         self.tenant = configmanager.tenant
         if not configmanager.is_node(node):
@@ -778,12 +780,13 @@ class ConsoleSession(object):
                               # relay
         self.width = width
         self.height = height
-        tasks.spawn(self.connect_session())
+        await self.connect_session()
         self.registered = True
         self._evt = None
         self.node = node
         self.write = self.conshdl.write
         tasks.spawn(self.delayinit(datacallback, skipreplay))
+        return self
 
     async def delayinit(self, datacallback, skipreplay):
         if datacallback is None:
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/httpapi.py b/confluent_server/confluent/httpapi.py
index feb9bc5d..87e444d5 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/httpapi.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/httpapi.py
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ async def wsock_handler(req):
                                             datacallback=datacallback,
                                             width=width, height=height, sessionid=sessidx)
                                     else:
-                                        consession = consoleserver.ConsoleSession(
+                                        consession = await consoleserver.ConsoleSession.create(
                                             node=node, configmanager=cfgmgr,
                                             username=username, skipreplay=skipreplay,
                                             datacallback=datacallback,
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ async def wsock_handler(req):
                     datacallback=datacallback, width=width, height=height
                 )
             else:
-                consession = consoleserver.ConsoleSession(
+                consession = await consoleserver.ConsoleSession.create(
                     node=nodename, configmanager=cfgmgr,
                     username=username, skipreplay=skipreplay,
                     datacallback=datacallback, width=width, height=height
@@ -884,7 +884,7 @@ async def resourcehandler_backend(req, make_response):
                         datacallback=datacallback, width=width, height=height
                     )
                 else:
-                    consession = consoleserver.ConsoleSession(
+                    consession = await consoleserver.ConsoleSession.create(
                         node=nodename, configmanager=cfgmgr,
                         username=authorized['username'], skipreplay=skipreplay,
                         datacallback=datacallback, width=width, height=height
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/sockapi.py b/confluent_server/confluent/sockapi.py
index 9c655335..8992b4e9 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/sockapi.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/sockapi.py
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ async def start_proxy_term(connection, cert, request):
         return
     cfm = configmanager.ConfigManager(request['tenant'])
     ccons = ClientConsole(connection)
-    consession = consoleserver.ConsoleSession(
+    consession = await consoleserver.ConsoleSession.create(
         node=request['node'], configmanager=cfm, username=request['user'],
         datacallback=ccons.sendall, skipreplay=request['skipreplay'],
         direct=False, width=request.get('width', 80), height=request.get(
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ async def start_term(authname, cfm, connection, params, path, authdata, skipauth
     if params and 'skipreplay' in params and params['skipreplay']:
         skipreplay = True
     if elems[3] == "console":
-        consession = consoleserver.ConsoleSession(
+        consession = await consoleserver.ConsoleSession.create(
             node=node, configmanager=cfm, username=authname,
             datacallback=ccons.sendall, skipreplay=skipreplay)
     elif len(elems) >= 6 and elems[3:5] == ['shell', 'sessions']: