diff --git a/packages/core/test/application_ref_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/application_ref_spec.ts
index 8aa5efd244..cd26571077 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/application_ref_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/application_ref_spec.ts
@@ -176,13 +176,12 @@ class SomeComponent {
           });
         });
 
-        fixmeIvy('FW-776: Cannot bootstrap as there are still asynchronous initializers running') &&
-            it('should be called when a component is bootstrapped',
-               inject([ApplicationRef], (ref: ApplicationRef) => {
-                 createRootEl();
-                 const compRef = ref.bootstrap(SomeComponent);
-                 expect(capturedCompRefs).toEqual([compRef]);
-               }));
+        it('should be called when a component is bootstrapped',
+           inject([ApplicationRef], (ref: ApplicationRef) => {
+             createRootEl();
+             const compRef = ref.bootstrap(SomeComponent);
+             expect(capturedCompRefs).toEqual([compRef]);
+           }));
       });
 
       describe('bootstrap', () => {
diff --git a/packages/core/testing/src/r3_test_bed.ts b/packages/core/testing/src/r3_test_bed.ts
index 59dcff0532..634a61b25d 100644
--- a/packages/core/testing/src/r3_test_bed.ts
+++ b/packages/core/testing/src/r3_test_bed.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.io/license
  */
 
-import {Component, Directive, Injector, NgModule, NgZone, Pipe, PlatformRef, Provider, RendererFactory2, SchemaMetadata, Type, ɵInjectableDef as InjectableDef, ɵNgModuleDef as NgModuleDef, ɵNgModuleTransitiveScopes as NgModuleTransitiveScopes, ɵRender3ComponentFactory as ComponentFactory, ɵRender3NgModuleRef as NgModuleRef, ɵcompileComponent as compileComponent, ɵcompileDirective as compileDirective, ɵcompileNgModuleDefs as compileNgModuleDefs, ɵcompilePipe as compilePipe, ɵgetInjectableDef as getInjectableDef, ɵpatchComponentDefWithScope as patchComponentDefWithScope, ɵstringify as stringify} from '@angular/core';
+import {ApplicationInitStatus, Component, Directive, Injector, NgModule, NgZone, Pipe, PlatformRef, Provider, RendererFactory2, SchemaMetadata, Type, ɵInjectableDef as InjectableDef, ɵNgModuleDef as NgModuleDef, ɵNgModuleTransitiveScopes as NgModuleTransitiveScopes, ɵRender3ComponentFactory as ComponentFactory, ɵRender3NgModuleRef as NgModuleRef, ɵcompileComponent as compileComponent, ɵcompileDirective as compileDirective, ɵcompileNgModuleDefs as compileNgModuleDefs, ɵcompilePipe as compilePipe, ɵgetInjectableDef as getInjectableDef, ɵpatchComponentDefWithScope as patchComponentDefWithScope, ɵstringify as stringify} from '@angular/core';
 
 import {ComponentFixture} from './component_fixture';
 import {MetadataOverride} from './metadata_override';
@@ -392,6 +392,9 @@ export class TestBedRender3 implements Injector, TestBed {
     const parentInjector = this.platform.injector;
     this._moduleRef = new NgModuleRef(testModuleType, parentInjector);
 
+    // ApplicationInitStatus.runInitializers() is marked @internal
+    // to core. Cast it to any before accessing it.
+    (this._moduleRef.injector.get(ApplicationInitStatus) as any).runInitializers();
     this._instantiated = true;
   }