diff --git a/keymapper/injection/injector.py b/keymapper/injection/injector.py
index 81ff15ab..7a886fe2 100644
--- a/keymapper/injection/injector.py
+++ b/keymapper/injection/injector.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ from keymapper.mapping import DISABLE_CODE
 from keymapper.injection.context import Context
 from keymapper.injection.numlock import set_numlock, is_numlock_on, ensure_numlock
 from keymapper.injection.consumer_control import ConsumerControl
+from keymapper.injection.macros.macro import macro_variables
 
 
 DEV_NAME = "key-mapper"
@@ -108,6 +109,8 @@ class Injector(multiprocessing.Process):
 
         self._consumer_controls = []
 
+        macro_variables.start()
+
         super().__init__()
 
     """Functions to interact with the running process"""
diff --git a/keymapper/ipc/shared_dict.py b/keymapper/ipc/shared_dict.py
index 754119c3..8ee56e8c 100644
--- a/keymapper/ipc/shared_dict.py
+++ b/keymapper/ipc/shared_dict.py
@@ -45,9 +45,8 @@ class SharedDict:
         self.pipe = multiprocessing.Pipe()
         self.process = None
         atexit.register(self._stop)
-        self._start()
 
-    def _start(self):
+    def start(self):
         """Ensure the process to manage the dictionary is running."""
         if self.process is not None and self.process.is_alive():
             logger.spam("SharedDict process already running")
diff --git a/tests/test.py b/tests/test.py
index 6f875220..aa64c703 100644
--- a/tests/test.py
+++ b/tests/test.py
@@ -573,15 +573,17 @@ def quick_cleanup(log=True):
         # create a fresh event loop
         asyncio.set_event_loop(asyncio.new_event_loop())
 
-    if not macro_variables.process.is_alive():
-        # nothing should stop the process during runtime
+    if macro_variables.process is not None and not macro_variables.process.is_alive():
+        # nothing should stop the process during runtime, if it has been started by
+        # the injector once
         raise AssertionError("the SharedDict manager is not running anymore")
 
-    macro_variables._stop()
+    if macro_variables.process is not None:
+        macro_variables._stop()
 
     join_children()
 
-    macro_variables._start()
+    macro_variables.start()
 
     if os.path.exists(tmp):
         shutil.rmtree(tmp)
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_injector.py b/tests/testcases/test_injector.py
index 2121ae26..96a3f064 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_injector.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_injector.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ from tests.test import (
 def wait_for_uinput_write():
     start = time.time()
     if not uinput_write_history_pipe[0].poll(timeout=10):
-        raise AssertionError('No event written within 10 seconds')
+        raise AssertionError("No event written within 10 seconds")
     return float(time.time() - start)
 
 
@@ -804,11 +804,15 @@ class TestInjector(unittest.IsolatedAsyncioTestCase):
         # in 5 more read-loop ticks, nothing new should have happened.
         # add a bit of a head-start of one EVENT_READ_TIMEOUT to avoid race-conditions
         # in tests
-        self.assertFalse(uinput_write_history_pipe[0].poll(timeout=EVENT_READ_TIMEOUT * 6))
+        self.assertFalse(
+            uinput_write_history_pipe[0].poll(timeout=EVENT_READ_TIMEOUT * 6)
+        )
 
         # 5 more and it should be within the second phase in which
         # the horizontal wheel is used. add some tolerance
-        self.assertAlmostEqual(wait_for_uinput_write(), EVENT_READ_TIMEOUT * 5, delta=EVENT_READ_TIMEOUT)
+        self.assertAlmostEqual(
+            wait_for_uinput_write(), EVENT_READ_TIMEOUT * 5, delta=EVENT_READ_TIMEOUT
+        )
         event = uinput_write_history_pipe[0].recv()
         self.assertEqual(event.t, (EV_KEY, code_b, 1))
 
diff --git a/tests/testcases/test_ipc.py b/tests/testcases/test_ipc.py
index 81b7a0b9..a502a5af 100644
--- a/tests/testcases/test_ipc.py
+++ b/tests/testcases/test_ipc.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ from tests.test import quick_cleanup
 class TestSharedDict(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.shared_dict = SharedDict()
+        self.shared_dict.start()
         time.sleep(0.02)
 
     def tearDown(self):