diff --git a/src/ert/ensemble_evaluator/evaluator.py b/src/ert/ensemble_evaluator/evaluator.py
index e17beb95923..9737f26e56c 100644
--- a/src/ert/ensemble_evaluator/evaluator.py
+++ b/src/ert/ensemble_evaluator/evaluator.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ def __init__(self, ensemble: Ensemble, config: EvaluatorServerConfig):
         self._max_batch_size: int = 500
         self._batching_interval: float = 2.0
         self._complete_batch: asyncio.Event = asyncio.Event()
-        self._server_started: asyncio.Event = asyncio.Event()
+        self._server_started: asyncio.Future[None] = asyncio.Future()
         self._clients_connected: set[bytes] = set()
         self._clients_empty: asyncio.Event = asyncio.Event()
         self._clients_empty.set()
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def __init__(self, ensemble: Ensemble, config: EvaluatorServerConfig):
         self._dispatchers_empty.set()
 
     async def _publisher(self) -> None:
-        await self._server_started.wait()
+        await self._server_started
         while True:
             event = await self._events_to_send.get()
             for identity in self._clients_connected:
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ async def handle_dispatch(self, dealer: bytes, frame: bytes) -> None:
                 await self._events.put(event)
 
     async def listen_for_messages(self) -> None:
-        await self._server_started.wait()
+        await self._server_started
         while True:
             try:
                 dealer, _, frame = await self._router_socket.recv_multipart()
@@ -285,9 +285,10 @@ async def _server(self) -> None:
                 self._router_socket.bind(f"tcp://*:{self._config.router_port}")
             else:
                 self._router_socket.bind(self._config.url)
-            self._server_started.set()
+            self._server_started.set_result(None)
         except zmq.error.ZMQError as e:
             logger.error(f"ZMQ error encountered {e} during evaluator initialization")
+            self._server_started.set_exception(e)
             raise
         try:
             await self._server_done.wait()
@@ -350,7 +351,7 @@ async def _start_running(self) -> None:
             asyncio.create_task(self.listen_for_messages(), name="listener_task"),
         ]
 
-        await self._server_started.wait()
+        await self._server_started
         self._ee_tasks.append(
             asyncio.create_task(
                 self._ensemble.evaluate(
diff --git a/src/ert/run_models/base_run_model.py b/src/ert/run_models/base_run_model.py
index 040c18d978b..f4fd22c9844 100644
--- a/src/ert/run_models/base_run_model.py
+++ b/src/ert/run_models/base_run_model.py
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ async def run_ensemble_evaluator_async(
         evaluator_task = asyncio.create_task(
             evaluator.run_and_get_successful_realizations()
         )
-        await evaluator._server_started.wait()
+        await evaluator._server_started
         if not (await self.run_monitor(ee_config, ensemble.iteration)):
             return []
 
diff --git a/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_evaluator.py b/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_evaluator.py
index 3959beaa273..e3f3dd7ba51 100644
--- a/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_evaluator.py
+++ b/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_evaluator.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ async def evaluator_to_use_fixture(make_ee_config):
     evaluator = EnsembleEvaluator(ensemble, make_ee_config(use_token=False))
     evaluator._batching_interval = 0.5  # batching can be faster for tests
     run_task = asyncio.create_task(evaluator.run_and_get_successful_realizations())
-    await evaluator._server_started.wait()
+    await evaluator._server_started
     yield evaluator
     evaluator.stop()
     await run_task
diff --git a/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_legacy.py b/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_legacy.py
index 59fc4da5405..7a2ee7291cf 100644
--- a/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_legacy.py
+++ b/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_ensemble_legacy.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def evaluator_to_use():
     async def run_evaluator(ensemble, ee_config):
         evaluator = EnsembleEvaluator(ensemble, ee_config)
         run_task = asyncio.create_task(evaluator.run_and_get_successful_realizations())
-        await evaluator._server_started.wait()
+        await evaluator._server_started
         try:
             yield evaluator
         finally:
diff --git a/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_scheduler.py b/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_scheduler.py
index 43abdad5d3a..83887bf3c04 100644
--- a/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_scheduler.py
+++ b/tests/ert/unit_tests/ensemble_evaluator/test_scheduler.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def create_manifest_file():
             run_task = asyncio.create_task(
                 evaluator.run_and_get_successful_realizations()
             )
-            await evaluator._server_started.wait()
+            await evaluator._server_started
             await _run_monitor()
             await run_task
         assert "Waiting for disk synchronization" in caplog.messages