diff --git a/notebook/services/kernels/kernelmanager.py b/notebook/services/kernels/kernelmanager.py
index 3234b87df1..2f85171e09 100644
--- a/notebook/services/kernels/kernelmanager.py
+++ b/notebook/services/kernels/kernelmanager.py
@@ -233,8 +233,10 @@ def __init__(self, kernel_finder, **kwargs):
         super(MappingKernelManager, self).__init__(**kwargs)
         self.last_kernel_activity = utcnow()
         self._kernels = {}
+        self._kernels_starting = {}
         self._restarters = {}
         self.kernel_finder = kernel_finder
+        self.initialize_culler()
 
     def get_kernel(self, kernel_id):
         return self._kernels[kernel_id]
@@ -281,45 +283,59 @@ def start_kernel(self, kernel_id=None, path=None, kernel_name=None, **kwargs):
             an existing kernel is returned, but it may be checked in the future.
         """
         if kernel_id is None:
-            if path is not None:
-                kwargs['cwd'] = self.cwd_for_path(path)
-            kernel_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
-            if kernel_name is None:
-                kernel_name = 'pyimport/kernel'
-            elif '/' not in kernel_name:
-                kernel_name = 'spec/' + kernel_name
-
-            kernel = KernelInterface(kernel_name, self.kernel_finder)
-            yield gen.with_timeout(timedelta(seconds=self.kernel_info_timeout),
-                kernel.connect_client()
-            )
-            self._kernels[kernel_id] = kernel
-
-            self.start_watching_activity(kernel_id)
-            self.log.info("Kernel started: %s" % kernel_id)
-
-            kernel.restarter.add_callback(
-                lambda data: self._handle_kernel_died(kernel_id),
-                'failed'
-            )
-
-            # Increase the metric of number of kernels running
-            # for the relevant kernel type by 1
-            KERNEL_CURRENTLY_RUNNING_TOTAL.labels(
-                type=self._kernels[kernel_id].kernel_type
-            ).inc()
-
+            kernel_id = self.start_launching_kernel(path, kernel_name, **kwargs)
+            yield self.wait_for_start(kernel_id)
         else:
             self._check_kernel_id(kernel_id)
             self.log.info("Using existing kernel: %s" % kernel_id)
 
-        # Initialize culling if not already
-        if not self._initialized_culler:
-            self.initialize_culler()
-
         # py2-compat
         raise gen.Return(kernel_id)
 
+    def start_launching_kernel(self, path=None, kernel_name=None, **kwargs):
+        """Launch a new kernel, return its kernel ID
+
+        This is a synchronous method which starts the process of launching a
+        kernel. Call :meth:`wait_for_start` to get an awaitable for the
+        rest of the startup and connection process.
+        """
+        if path is not None:
+            kwargs['cwd'] = self.cwd_for_path(path)
+        kernel_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
+        if kernel_name is None:
+            kernel_name = 'pyimport/kernel'
+        elif '/' not in kernel_name:
+            kernel_name = 'spec/' + kernel_name
+
+        kernel = KernelInterface(kernel_name, self.kernel_finder)
+        self._kernels[kernel_id] = kernel
+        self._kernels_starting[kernel_id] = \
+            self._finish_launching_kernel(kernel_id, kernel)
+        return kernel_id
+
+    def wait_for_start(self, kernel_id):
+        return self._kernels_starting[kernel_id]
+
+    @gen.coroutine
+    def _finish_launching_kernel(self, kernel_id, kernel):
+        yield gen.with_timeout(timedelta(seconds=self.kernel_info_timeout),
+                               kernel.connect_client()
+                               )
+
+        self.start_watching_activity(kernel_id)
+        self.log.info("Kernel started: %s" % kernel_id)
+
+        kernel.restarter.add_callback(
+            lambda data: self._handle_kernel_died(kernel_id),
+            'failed'
+        )
+
+        # Increase the metric of number of kernels running
+        # for the relevant kernel type by 1
+        KERNEL_CURRENTLY_RUNNING_TOTAL.labels(
+            type=self._kernels[kernel_id].kernel_type
+        ).inc()
+
     def start_buffering(self, kernel_id, session_key, channels):
         """Start buffering messages for a kernel
 
diff --git a/notebook/services/sessions/sessionmanager.py b/notebook/services/sessions/sessionmanager.py
index f01be13550..e39ee1775c 100644
--- a/notebook/services/sessions/sessionmanager.py
+++ b/notebook/services/sessions/sessionmanager.py
@@ -73,26 +73,28 @@ def new_session_id(self):
     def create_session(self, path=None, name=None, type=None, kernel_name=None, kernel_id=None):
         """Creates a session and returns its model"""
         session_id = self.new_session_id()
-        if kernel_id is not None and kernel_id in self.kernel_manager:
-            pass
-        else:
-            kernel_id = yield self.start_kernel_for_session(session_id, path, name, type, kernel_name)
+        if (kernel_id is None) or (kernel_id not in self.kernel_manager):
+            kernel_id = self.start_kernel_for_session(session_id, path, name, type, kernel_name)
+
+        # Save the session before waiting for the kernel to be fully started,
+        # to avoid race conditions resulting in two sessions.
         result = yield gen.maybe_future(
             self.save_session(session_id, path=path, name=name, type=type, kernel_id=kernel_id)
         )
+
+        # Now wait for the kernel to finish starting.
+        yield self.kernel_manager.wait_for_start(kernel_id)
+
         # py2-compat
         raise gen.Return(result)
 
-    @gen.coroutine
     def start_kernel_for_session(self, session_id, path, name, type, kernel_name):
         """Start a new kernel for a given session."""
         # allow contents manager to specify kernels cwd
         kernel_path = self.contents_manager.get_kernel_path(path=path)
-        kernel_id = yield gen.maybe_future(
-            self.kernel_manager.start_kernel(path=kernel_path, kernel_name=kernel_name)
+        return self.kernel_manager.start_launching_kernel(
+            path=kernel_path, kernel_name=kernel_name,
         )
-        # py2-compat
-        raise gen.Return(kernel_id)
 
     def save_session(self, session_id, path=None, name=None, type=None, kernel_id=None):
         """Saves the items for the session with the given session_id