diff --git a/engines/ep/tests/module_tests/ep_unit_tests_main.cc b/engines/ep/tests/module_tests/ep_unit_tests_main.cc
index 2c9af86d49..6817270d2f 100644
--- a/engines/ep/tests/module_tests/ep_unit_tests_main.cc
+++ b/engines/ep/tests/module_tests/ep_unit_tests_main.cc
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <memcached/config_parser.h>
 #include <memcached/server_core_iface.h>
 #include <memcached/server_log_iface.h>
+#include <phosphor/phosphor.h>
 #include <platform/cb_arena_malloc.h>
 #include <platform/cbassert.h>
 
@@ -163,6 +164,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
         env.engineFileDescriptors = env.reservedFileDescriptors * 2;
     }
 
+    // Ensure phosphor TraceLog singleton is initialised before we run any
+    // tests - specifically before we create the ExecutorPool singleton and
+    // its background threads. If TraceLog is *not* initialised before
+    // ExecutorPool, then it will also be destroyed before ExecutorPool; which
+    // then results in ExecutorPool crashing when it attempts to unregister
+    // worker threads from phosphor.
+    phosphor::TraceLog::getInstance();
+
     auto ret = RUN_ALL_TESTS();
 
     globalBucketLogger.reset();