diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index 9a58ecfdd..235da9bc3 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -74,7 +74,10 @@ def run(args):
         if sent:
             sys.exit(0)
         log.init.debug("Starting IPC server...")
-        ipc.init()
+        server = ipc.IPCServer(qApp)
+        objreg.register('ipc-server', server)
+        server.got_args.connect(lambda args, cwd:
+                                process_pos_args(args, cwd=cwd, via_ipc=True))
     except ipc.AddressInUseError as e:
         # This could be a race condition...
         log.init.debug("Got AddressInUseError, trying again.")
diff --git a/qutebrowser/misc/ipc.py b/qutebrowser/misc/ipc.py
index 29ee9273c..d38606cc7 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/misc/ipc.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/misc/ipc.py
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ import json
 import getpass
 import binascii
 
-from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSlot, QObject
+from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSignal, pyqtSlot, QObject
 from PyQt5.QtNetwork import QLocalSocket, QLocalServer, QAbstractSocket
 from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QMessageBox
 
-from qutebrowser.utils import log, objreg, usertypes
+from qutebrowser.utils import log, usertypes
 
 
 SOCKETNAME = 'qutebrowser-{}'.format(getpass.getuser())
@@ -80,8 +80,14 @@ class IPCServer(QObject):
         _timer: A timer to handle timeouts.
         _server: A QLocalServer to accept new connections.
         _socket: The QLocalSocket we're currently connected to.
+
+    Signals:
+        got_args: Emitted when there was an IPC connection and arguments were
+                  passed.
     """
 
+    got_args = pyqtSignal(list, str)
+
     def __init__(self, parent=None):
         """Start the IPC server and listen to commands."""
         super().__init__(parent)
@@ -187,8 +193,7 @@ class IPCServer(QObject):
                 log.ipc.debug("no args: {}".format(decoded.strip()))
                 return
             cwd = json_data.get('cwd', None)
-            app = objreg.get('app')
-            app.process_pos_args(args, via_ipc=True, cwd=cwd)
+            self.got_args.emit(args, cwd)
 
     @pyqtSlot()
     def on_timeout(self):
@@ -207,13 +212,6 @@ class IPCServer(QObject):
         self._remove_server()
 
 
-def init():
-    """Initialize the global IPC server."""
-    app = objreg.get('app')
-    server = IPCServer(app)
-    objreg.register('ipc-server', server)
-
-
 def _socket_error(action, socket):
     """Raise an Error based on an action and a QLocalSocket.