diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index fb90b2427..d7ef1707b 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -25,10 +25,11 @@ defmodule Ejabberd.Mixfile do
 
   def application do
     [mod: {:ejabberd_app, []},
-     applications: [:ssl, :os_mon, :lager, :mnesia, :inets, :p1_utils, :cache_tab,
-                    :fast_tls, :stringprep, :fast_xml, :xmpp,
-                    :stun, :fast_yaml, :esip, :jiffy, :p1_oauth2,
-                    :eimp, :base64url, :jose, :pkix]
+     applications: [:kernel, :stdlib, :sasl, :ssl],
+     included_applications: [:lager, :mnesia, :inets, :p1_utils, :cache_tab,
+                             :fast_tls, :stringprep, :fast_xml, :xmpp,
+                             :stun, :fast_yaml, :esip, :jiffy, :p1_oauth2,
+                             :eimp, :base64url, :jose, :pkix]
      ++ cond_apps()]
   end
 
diff --git a/src/ejabberd.app.src.in b/src/ejabberd.app.src.in
index ea3a7894d..c3dc37306 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd.app.src.in
+++ b/src/ejabberd.app.src.in
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
   {vsn, "@PACKAGE_VERSION@"},
   {modules, []},
   {registered, []},
-  {applications, [kernel, stdlib, crypto, sasl, ssl, p1_utils, fast_yaml, fast_tls, pkix, xmpp, cache_tab, eimp]},
+  {applications, [kernel, stdlib, sasl, ssl]},
+  {included_applications, [lager, mnesia, inets, p1_utils, fast_yaml, fast_tls, pkix, xmpp, cache_tab, eimp]},
   {env, [{enabled_backends, [@enabled_backends@]}]},
   {mod, {ejabberd_app, []}}]}.
 
diff --git a/src/ejabberd.erl b/src/ejabberd.erl
index 5c632b36a..a7de9ab11 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd.erl
@@ -43,14 +43,10 @@
 -include("logger.hrl").
 
 start() ->
-    %%ejabberd_cover:start(),
-    ejabberd_logger:start(),
-    ejabberd_mnesia:start(),
     application:ensure_all_started(ejabberd).
 
 stop() ->
     application:stop(ejabberd).
-    %%ejabberd_cover:stop().
 
 halt() ->
     application:stop(lager),
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_app.erl b/src/ejabberd_app.erl
index 280535ca7..1641e0ad9 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_app.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_app.erl
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ start(normal, _Args) ->
     {T1, _} = statistics(wall_clock),
     ejabberd_logger:start(),
     write_pid_file(),
+    start_included_apps(),
     start_elixir_application(),
     ejabberd:check_app(ejabberd),
     setup_if_elixir_conf_used(),
@@ -72,6 +73,17 @@ start(normal, _Args) ->
 start(_, _) ->
     {error, badarg}.
 
+start_included_apps() ->
+    {ok, Apps} = application:get_key(ejabberd, included_applications),
+    lists:foreach(
+	fun(mnesia) ->
+	       ok;
+	   (lager)->
+	       ok;
+	   (App) ->
+	       application:ensure_all_started(App)
+	end, Apps).
+
 %% Prepare the application for termination.
 %% This function is called when an application is about to be stopped,
 %% before shutting down the processes of the application.