diff --git a/OpenSim/Framework/IClientAPI.cs b/OpenSim/Framework/IClientAPI.cs
index cb60028a53..0d44abdf4a 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Framework/IClientAPI.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Framework/IClientAPI.cs
@@ -527,6 +527,9 @@ namespace OpenSim.Framework
         /// </summary>
         string Name { get; }
 
+        /// <value>
+        /// Determines whether the client thread is doing anything or not.
+        /// </value>
         bool IsActive { get; set; }
 
         bool SendLogoutPacketWhenClosing { set; }
@@ -749,6 +752,23 @@ namespace OpenSim.Framework
 
         event UserInfoRequest OnUserInfoRequest;
         event UpdateUserInfo OnUpdateUserInfo;
+        
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Set the debug level at which packet output should be printed to console.
+        /// </summary>
+        void SetDebugPacketLevel(int newDebug);
+
+        void InPacket(object NewPack);
+        void ProcessInPacket(Packet NewPack);
+        void Close(bool ShutdownCircuit);
+        void Kick(string message);
+        
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Start processing for this client.
+        /// </summary>
+        void Start();
+        
+        void Stop();        
 
         //     void ActivateGesture(UUID assetId, UUID gestureId);
 
@@ -1034,16 +1054,6 @@ namespace OpenSim.Framework
 
         byte[] GetThrottlesPacked(float multiplier);
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Set the debug level at which packet output should be printed to console.
-        /// </summary>
-        void SetDebugPacketLevel(int newDebug);
-
-        void InPacket(object NewPack);
-        void ProcessInPacket(Packet NewPack);
-        void Close(bool ShutdownCircuit);
-        void Kick(string message);
-        void Stop();
         event ViewerEffectEventHandler OnViewerEffect;
         event Action<IClientAPI> OnLogout;
         event Action<IClientAPI> OnConnectionClosed;
diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/ClientStack/LindenUDP/LLClientView.cs b/OpenSim/Region/ClientStack/LindenUDP/LLClientView.cs
index 3243c2f684..ebbecb79fc 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/ClientStack/LindenUDP/LLClientView.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/ClientStack/LindenUDP/LLClientView.cs
@@ -471,12 +471,6 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.ClientStack.LindenUDP
             m_PacketHandler.OnPacketStats += PopulateStats;
             
             RegisterLocalPacketHandlers();
-
-            m_clientThread = new Thread(Start);
-            m_clientThread.Name = "ClientThread";
-            m_clientThread.IsBackground = true;
-            m_clientThread.Start();
-            ThreadTracker.Add(m_clientThread);
         }
 
         public void SetDebugPacketLevel(int newDebugPacketLevel)
@@ -813,11 +807,20 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.ClientStack.LindenUDP
             RefreshGroupMembership();
         }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Start a user session.  This method lies at the base of the entire client thread.
-        /// </summary>
-        protected virtual void Start()
+        public virtual void Start()
         {
+            m_clientThread = new Thread(RunUserSession);
+            m_clientThread.Name = "ClientThread";
+            m_clientThread.IsBackground = true;
+            m_clientThread.Start();
+            ThreadTracker.Add(m_clientThread);            
+        }
+        
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Run a user session.  This method lies at the base of the entire client thread.
+        /// </summary>
+        protected virtual void RunUserSession()
+        {            
             //tell this thread we are using the culture set up for the sim (currently hardcoded to en_US)
             //otherwise it will override this and use the system default
             Culture.SetCurrentCulture();
diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/ClientStack/LindenUDP/LLPacketServer.cs b/OpenSim/Region/ClientStack/LindenUDP/LLPacketServer.cs
index 9f8383c24d..2b52220411 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/ClientStack/LindenUDP/LLPacketServer.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/ClientStack/LindenUDP/LLPacketServer.cs
@@ -160,6 +160,8 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.ClientStack.LindenUDP
             newuser.OnViewerEffect += m_scene.ClientManager.ViewerEffectHandler;
             newuser.OnLogout += LogoutHandler;
             newuser.OnConnectionClosed += CloseClient;
+            
+            newuser.Start();
 
             return true;
         }
diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Environment/Modules/World/NPC/NPCAvatar.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Environment/Modules/World/NPC/NPCAvatar.cs
index d06f35ac6e..f0d5de27a0 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Environment/Modules/World/NPC/NPCAvatar.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Environment/Modules/World/NPC/NPCAvatar.cs
@@ -812,6 +812,10 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Environment.Modules.World.NPC
         {
         }
 
+        public void Start()
+        {
+        }
+        
         public void Stop()
         {
         }
diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Examples/SimpleModule/MyNpcCharacter.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Examples/SimpleModule/MyNpcCharacter.cs
index 5a7d42cd4a..3710f2c73a 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Examples/SimpleModule/MyNpcCharacter.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Examples/SimpleModule/MyNpcCharacter.cs
@@ -800,6 +800,10 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Examples.SimpleModule
         {
         }
 
+        public void Start()
+        {
+        }
+        
         public void Stop()
         {
         }
diff --git a/OpenSim/Tests/Common/Mock/TestClient.cs b/OpenSim/Tests/Common/Mock/TestClient.cs
index 41c2eb664d..a9ee837291 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Tests/Common/Mock/TestClient.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Tests/Common/Mock/TestClient.cs
@@ -757,6 +757,10 @@ namespace OpenSim.Tests.Common.Mock
         {
         }
 
+        public void Start()
+        {
+        }
+        
         public void Stop()
         {
         }