diff --git a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/MachineLearning.java b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/MachineLearning.java
index 60ee07cabc4..69ce26b53d0 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/MachineLearning.java
+++ b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/MachineLearning.java
@@ -427,9 +427,9 @@ public class MachineLearning implements ActionPlugin {
                 maxNumberOfJobs * 2, 1000, "xpack.ml.thread_pool");
 
         // fail quick to run autodetect process / datafeed, so no queues
-        // 4 threads: for c++ logging, result processing, state processing and restore state
+        // 3 threads: for c++ logging, result processing, state processing
         FixedExecutorBuilder autoDetect = new FixedExecutorBuilder(settings, AUTODETECT_PROCESS_THREAD_POOL_NAME,
-                maxNumberOfJobs * 4, 200, "xpack.ml.autodetect_process_thread_pool");
+                maxNumberOfJobs * 3, 200, "xpack.ml.autodetect_process_thread_pool");
 
         // TODO: if datafeed and non datafeed jobs are considered more equal and the datafeed and
         // autodetect process are created at the same time then these two different TPs can merge.
diff --git a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/OpenJobAction.java b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/OpenJobAction.java
index 268f23792c4..f437f43395d 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/OpenJobAction.java
+++ b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/action/OpenJobAction.java
@@ -334,11 +334,22 @@ public class OpenJobAction extends Action<OpenJobAction.Request, PersistentActio
                     return;
                 }
 
-                autodetectProcessManager.openJob(request.getJobId(), task.getPersistentTaskId(), request.isIgnoreDowntime(), e2 -> {
-                    if (e2 == null) {
-                        listener.onResponse(new TransportResponse.Empty());
-                    } else {
-                        listener.onFailure(e2);
+                // We need to fork, otherwise we open a job on a network thread:
+                threadPool.executor(ThreadPool.Names.MANAGEMENT).execute(new AbstractRunnable() {
+                    @Override
+                    public void onFailure(Exception e) {
+                        listener.onFailure(e);
+                    }
+
+                    @Override
+                    protected void doRun() throws Exception {
+                        autodetectProcessManager.openJob(request.getJobId(), task.getPersistentTaskId(), request.isIgnoreDowntime(), e2 -> {
+                            if (e2 == null) {
+                                listener.onResponse(new TransportResponse.Empty());
+                            } else {
+                                listener.onFailure(e2);
+                            }
+                        });
                     }
                 });
             });
diff --git a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/NativeAutodetectProcessFactory.java b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/NativeAutodetectProcessFactory.java
index 22cca1d7eb5..c91b628e14c 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/NativeAutodetectProcessFactory.java
+++ b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/job/process/autodetect/NativeAutodetectProcessFactory.java
@@ -75,15 +75,12 @@ public class NativeAutodetectProcessFactory implements AutodetectProcessFactory
         try {
             autodetect.start(executorService, stateProcessor, processPipes.getPersistStream().get());
             if (modelSnapshot != null) {
-                // TODO (norelease): I don't think we should do this in the background. If this happens then we should wait
-                // until restore it is done before we can accept data.
-                executorService.execute(() -> {
-                    try (OutputStream r = processPipes.getRestoreStream().get()) {
-                        jobProvider.restoreStateToStream(job.getId(), modelSnapshot, r);
-                    } catch (Exception e) {
-                        LOGGER.error("Error restoring model state for job " + job.getId(), e);
-                    }
-                });
+                try (OutputStream r = processPipes.getRestoreStream().get()) {
+                    jobProvider.restoreStateToStream(job.getId(), modelSnapshot, r);
+                } catch (Exception e) {
+                    // TODO: should we fail to start?
+                    LOGGER.error("Error restoring model state for job " + job.getId(), e);
+                }
             }
             return autodetect;
         } catch (EsRejectedExecutionException e) {