diff -urN gdnsd-3.8.0/src.ori/plugins/http_status.c gdnsd-3.8.0/src/plugins/http_status.c
--- gdnsd-3.8.0/src.ori/plugins/http_status.c	2021-08-13 20:07:20.000000000 +0200
+++ gdnsd-3.8.0/src/plugins/http_status.c	2021-11-29 14:11:13.795278380 +0100
@@ -492,10 +492,13 @@
 static void plugin_http_status_init_monitors(struct ev_loop* mon_loop)
 {
     for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_mons; i++) {
+        gdnsd_mon_state_updater(mons[i]->idx, true);
+	/*
         ev_timer* ival_watcher = &mons[i]->interval_watcher;
         gdnsd_assert(mons[i]->sock == -1);
         ev_timer_set(ival_watcher, 0, 0);
         ev_timer_start(mon_loop, ival_watcher);
+	*/
     }
 }
 
diff -urN gdnsd-3.8.0/src.ori/plugins/mon.c gdnsd-3.8.0/src/plugins/mon.c
--- gdnsd-3.8.0/src.ori/plugins/mon.c	2021-08-13 20:07:20.000000000 +0200
+++ gdnsd-3.8.0/src/plugins/mon.c	2021-11-29 14:11:13.799278383 +0100
@@ -785,8 +785,9 @@
     //   been demonstrated.  For now, just going with pretending initial
     //   state is stable.
     if (initial_round) {
-        gdnsd_assert(!smgr->n_failure);
+        //gdnsd_assert(!smgr->n_failure);
         gdnsd_assert(!smgr->n_success);
+	smgr->n_failure = smgr->type->down_thresh - 1;
         down = !latest;
     } else {
         // First handle basic up/down state and the counters
diff -urN gdnsd-3.8.0/src.ori/plugins/tcp_connect.c gdnsd-3.8.0/src/plugins/tcp_connect.c
--- gdnsd-3.8.0/src.ori/plugins/tcp_connect.c	2021-08-13 20:07:20.000000000 +0200
+++ gdnsd-3.8.0/src/plugins/tcp_connect.c	2021-11-29 14:11:13.799278383 +0100
@@ -281,10 +281,13 @@
 static void plugin_tcp_connect_init_monitors(struct ev_loop* mon_loop)
 {
     for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_mons; i++) {
+	gdnsd_mon_state_updater(mons[i]->idx, true);
+/*
         ev_timer* ival_watcher = &mons[i]->interval_watcher;
         gdnsd_assert(mons[i]->sock == -1);
         ev_timer_set(ival_watcher, 0, 0);
         ev_timer_start(mon_loop, ival_watcher);
+*/
     }
 }