diff --git a/app/scripts/metamask-controller.js b/app/scripts/metamask-controller.js
index d7baedb43..b4014272a 100644
--- a/app/scripts/metamask-controller.js
+++ b/app/scripts/metamask-controller.js
@@ -757,7 +757,8 @@ module.exports = class MetamaskController extends EventEmitter {
     try {
       const threeBoxSyncingAllowed = this.threeBoxController.getThreeBoxSyncingState()
       if (threeBoxSyncingAllowed && !this.threeBoxController.box) {
-        await this.threeBoxController.new3Box()
+        // 'await' intentionally omitted to avoid waiting for initialization
+        this.threeBoxController.init()
         this.threeBoxController.turnThreeBoxSyncingOn()
       } else if (threeBoxSyncingAllowed && this.threeBoxController.box) {
         this.threeBoxController.turnThreeBoxSyncingOn()
diff --git a/test/unit/app/controllers/metamask-controller-test.js b/test/unit/app/controllers/metamask-controller-test.js
index 4d2d3e3f8..808ecc9a9 100644
--- a/test/unit/app/controllers/metamask-controller-test.js
+++ b/test/unit/app/controllers/metamask-controller-test.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ const createTxMeta = require('../../../lib/createTxMeta')
 const EthQuery = require('eth-query')
 
 const threeBoxSpies = {
-  new3Box: sinon.spy(),
+  init: sinon.spy(),
   getThreeBoxAddress: sinon.spy(),
   getThreeBoxSyncingState: sinon.stub().returns(true),
   turnThreeBoxSyncingOn: sinon.spy(),
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class ThreeBoxControllerMock {
       subscribe: () => {},
       getState: () => ({}),
     }
-    this.new3Box = threeBoxSpies.new3Box
+    this.init = threeBoxSpies.init
     this.getThreeBoxAddress = threeBoxSpies.getThreeBoxAddress
     this.getThreeBoxSyncingState = threeBoxSpies.getThreeBoxSyncingState
     this.turnThreeBoxSyncingOn = threeBoxSpies.turnThreeBoxSyncingOn
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ describe('MetaMaskController', function () {
 
     beforeEach(async function () {
       await metamaskController.createNewVaultAndKeychain(password)
-      threeBoxSpies.new3Box.reset()
+      threeBoxSpies.init.reset()
       threeBoxSpies.turnThreeBoxSyncingOn.reset()
     })
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ describe('MetaMaskController', function () {
 
     it('gets the address from threebox and creates a new 3box instance', async () => {
       await metamaskController.submitPassword(password)
-      assert(threeBoxSpies.new3Box.calledOnce)
+      assert(threeBoxSpies.init.calledOnce)
       assert(threeBoxSpies.turnThreeBoxSyncingOn.calledOnce)
     })
   })