diff --git a/js/ui/layout.js b/js/ui/layout.js
index 3b54960f8..5b09817ba 100644
--- a/js/ui/layout.js
+++ b/js/ui/layout.js
@@ -763,39 +763,47 @@ export const LayoutManager = GObject.registerClass({
         else
             this.emit('startup-prepared');
 
-        this._startupAnimation();
-    }
-
-    _startupAnimation() {
-        if (Meta.is_restart())
+        try {
+            await this._startupAnimation();
+        } finally {
             this._startupAnimationComplete();
-        else if (Main.sessionMode.isGreeter)
-            this._startupAnimationGreeter();
-        else
-            this._startupAnimationSession();
+        }
     }
 
-    _startupAnimationGreeter() {
-        this.panelBox.ease({
-            translation_y: 0,
-            duration: STARTUP_ANIMATION_TIME,
-            mode: Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE_OUT_QUAD,
-            onStopped: () => this._startupAnimationComplete(),
+    async _startupAnimation() {
+        if (Meta.is_restart())
+            return;
+
+        if (Main.sessionMode.isGreeter)
+            await this._startupAnimationGreeter();
+        else
+            await this._startupAnimationSession();
+    }
+
+    async _startupAnimationGreeter() {
+        await new Promise(resolve => {
+            this.panelBox.ease({
+                translation_y: 0,
+                duration: STARTUP_ANIMATION_TIME,
+                mode: Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE_OUT_QUAD,
+                onStopped: () => resolve(),
+            });
         });
     }
 
-    _startupAnimationSession() {
-        const onStopped = () => this._startupAnimationComplete();
+    async _startupAnimationSession() {
         if (Main.sessionMode.hasOverview) {
-            Main.overview.runStartupAnimation(onStopped);
+            await Main.overview.runStartupAnimation();
         } else {
-            this.uiGroup.ease({
-                scale_x: 1,
-                scale_y: 1,
-                opacity: 255,
-                duration: STARTUP_ANIMATION_TIME,
-                mode: Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE_OUT_QUAD,
-                onStopped,
+            await new Promise(resolve => {
+                this.uiGroup.ease({
+                    scale_x: 1,
+                    scale_y: 1,
+                    opacity: 255,
+                    duration: STARTUP_ANIMATION_TIME,
+                    mode: Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE_OUT_QUAD,
+                    onStopped: () => resolve(),
+                });
             });
         }
     }
diff --git a/js/ui/overview.js b/js/ui/overview.js
index 7e431b68e..2f40d2fd9 100644
--- a/js/ui/overview.js
+++ b/js/ui/overview.js
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ class OverviewActor extends St.BoxLayout {
         this._controls.animateFromOverview(callback);
     }
 
-    runStartupAnimation(callback) {
-        this._controls.runStartupAnimation(callback);
+    async runStartupAnimation() {
+        await this._controls.runStartupAnimation();
     }
 
     get dash() {
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ export class Overview extends Signals.EventEmitter {
         this._overview.controls.appDisplay.selectApp(id);
     }
 
-    runStartupAnimation(callback) {
+    async runStartupAnimation() {
         Main.panel.style = 'transition-duration: 0ms;';
 
         this._shown = true;
@@ -679,23 +679,19 @@ export class Overview extends Signals.EventEmitter {
 
         this._changeShownState(OverviewShownState.SHOWING);
 
-        this._overview.runStartupAnimation(() => {
-            // Overview got hidden during startup animation
-            if (this._shownState !== OverviewShownState.SHOWING) {
-                callback();
-                return;
-            }
+        await this._overview.runStartupAnimation();
 
-            if (!this._syncGrab()) {
-                callback();
-                this.hide();
-                return;
-            }
+        // Overview got hidden during startup animation
+        if (this._shownState !== OverviewShownState.SHOWING)
+            return;
 
-            Main.panel.style = null;
-            this._changeShownState(OverviewShownState.SHOWN);
-            callback();
-        });
+        if (!this._syncGrab()) {
+            this.hide();
+            return;
+        }
+
+        Main.panel.style = null;
+        this._changeShownState(OverviewShownState.SHOWN);
     }
 
     getShowAppsButton() {
diff --git a/js/ui/overviewControls.js b/js/ui/overviewControls.js
index 7cc481240..3082ea61d 100644
--- a/js/ui/overviewControls.js
+++ b/js/ui/overviewControls.js
@@ -797,7 +797,7 @@ class ControlsManager extends St.Widget {
         this._stateAdjustment.gestureInProgress = false;
     }
 
-    async runStartupAnimation(callback) {
+    async runStartupAnimation() {
         this._ignoreShowAppsButtonToggle = true;
 
         this.prepareToEnterOverview();
@@ -839,14 +839,16 @@ class ControlsManager extends St.Widget {
         });
 
         // The Dash rises from the bottom. This is the last animation to finish,
-        // so run the callback there.
+        // so resolve the promise there.
         this.dash.translation_y = this.dash.height + this.dash.margin_bottom;
-        this.dash.ease({
-            translation_y: 0,
-            delay: STARTUP_ANIMATION_TIME,
-            duration: STARTUP_ANIMATION_TIME,
-            mode: Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE_OUT_QUAD,
-            onStopped: () => callback(),
+        return new Promise(resolve => {
+            this.dash.ease({
+                translation_y: 0,
+                delay: STARTUP_ANIMATION_TIME,
+                duration: STARTUP_ANIMATION_TIME,
+                mode: Clutter.AnimationMode.EASE_OUT_QUAD,
+                onStopped: () => resolve(),
+            });
         });
     }