diff --git a/src/server/appserver.cpp b/src/server/appserver.cpp
index eeb995b46..c3e7c4e43 100644
--- a/src/server/appserver.cpp
+++ b/src/server/appserver.cpp
@@ -1105,10 +1105,11 @@ void AppServer::onRequestReceived(int id, RequestNum num, const QByteArray &para
                     return;
                 }
 
-                tryCreateAndStartVfs(sync);
+                exitCode = tryCreateAndStartVfs(sync);
+                const bool start = exitCode == ExitCode::Ok;
 
                 // Create and start SyncPal
-                exitCode = initSyncPal(sync, blackList, QSet<QString>(), whiteList, true, false, true);
+                exitCode = initSyncPal(sync, blackList, QSet<QString>(), whiteList, start, false, true);
                 if (exitCode != ExitCode::Ok) {
                     LOG_WARN(_logger, "Error in initSyncPal for syncDbId=" << syncInfo.dbId() << " code=" << exitCode);
                     addError(Error(errId(), exitCode, exitCause));
@@ -1193,10 +1194,11 @@ void AppServer::onRequestReceived(int id, RequestNum num, const QByteArray &para
                     return;
                 }
 
-                tryCreateAndStartVfs(sync);
+                exitCode = tryCreateAndStartVfs(sync);
+                const bool start = exitCode == ExitCode::Ok;
 
                 // Create and start SyncPal
-                exitCode = initSyncPal(sync, blackList, QSet<QString>(), whiteList, true, false, true);
+                exitCode = initSyncPal(sync, blackList, QSet<QString>(), whiteList, start, false, true);
                 if (exitCode != ExitCode::Ok) {
                     LOG_WARN(_logger, "Error in initSyncPal for syncDbId=" << sync.dbId() << " code=" << exitCode);
                     addError(Error(errId(), exitCode, exitCause));
@@ -2787,17 +2789,6 @@ ExitCode AppServer::tryCreateAndStartVfs(Sync &sync) noexcept {
     if (exitCode != ExitCode::Ok) {
         LOG_WARN(_logger, "Error in createAndStartVfs for syncDbId=" << sync.dbId() << " code=" << exitCode << ", pausing.");
         addError(Error(sync.dbId(), errId(), exitCode, exitCause));
-
-        // Set sync's paused flag
-        sync.setPaused(true);
-
-        bool found = false;
-        if (!ParmsDb::instance()->setSyncPaused(sync.dbId(), true, found)) {
-            LOG_WARN(_logger, "Error in ParmsDb::setSyncPaused");
-        }
-        if (!found) {
-            LOG_WARN(_logger, "Sync not found");
-        }
     }
 
     return exitCode;
@@ -2883,11 +2874,11 @@ ExitCode AppServer::startSyncs(User &user, ExitCause &exitCause) {
                     continue;
                 }
 
-                tryCreateAndStartVfs(sync);
+                exitCode = tryCreateAndStartVfs(sync);
+                const bool start = exitCode == ExitCode::Ok && !user.keychainKey().empty();
 
                 // Create and start SyncPal
-                exitCode =
-                        initSyncPal(sync, blackList, undecidedList, QSet<QString>(), !user.keychainKey().empty(), false, false);
+                exitCode = initSyncPal(sync, blackList, undecidedList, QSet<QString>(), start, false, false);
                 if (exitCode != ExitCode::Ok) {
                     LOG_WARN(_logger, "Error in initSyncPal for syncDbId=" << sync.dbId() << " code=" << exitCode);
                     addError(Error(sync.dbId(), errId(), exitCode, ExitCause::Unknown));
@@ -3862,11 +3853,10 @@ ExitCode AppServer::setSupportsVirtualFiles(int syncDbId, bool value) {
         // Delete previous vfs
         _vfsMap.erase(syncDbId);
 
-        tryCreateAndStartVfs(sync);
+        exitCode = tryCreateAndStartVfs(sync);
+        const bool start = exitCode == ExitCode::Ok;
 
         QTimer::singleShot(100, this, [=]() {
-            bool ok = true;
-
             if (newMode != VirtualFileMode::Off) {
                 // Clear file system
                 _vfsMap[sync.dbId()]->convertDirContentToPlaceholder(SyncName2QStr(sync.localPath()), true);
@@ -3880,8 +3870,8 @@ ExitCode AppServer::setSupportsVirtualFiles(int syncDbId, bool value) {
             // Notify conversion completed
             sendVfsConversionCompleted(sync.dbId());
 
-            if (ok) {
-                // Re-start sync
+            // Re-start sync
+            if (start) {
                 _syncPalMap[syncDbId]->start();
             }
         });
diff --git a/src/server/appserver.h b/src/server/appserver.h
index 313c6277e..75efe9561 100644
--- a/src/server/appserver.h
+++ b/src/server/appserver.h
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class AppServer : public SharedTools::QtSingleApplication {
 
         ExitCode createAndStartVfs(const Sync &sync, ExitCause &exitCause) noexcept;
         // Call createAndStartVfs. Issue warnings, errors and pause the synchronization `sync` if needed.
-        ExitCode tryCreateAndStartVfs(Sync &sync) noexcept;
+        [[nodiscard]] ExitCode tryCreateAndStartVfs(Sync &sync) noexcept;
         ExitCode stopVfs(int syncDbId, bool unregister);
 
         ExitCode setSupportsVirtualFiles(int syncDbId, bool value);