diff --git a/src/core/main-private.h b/src/core/main-private.h
index be6b1cef3..c37ce8cd6 100644
--- a/src/core/main-private.h
+++ b/src/core/main-private.h
@@ -51,4 +51,10 @@ void meta_override_compositor_configuration (MetaCompositorType compositor_type,
 
 MetaDisplayPolicy meta_get_x11_display_policy (void);
 
+META_EXPORT_TEST
+void meta_start (void);
+
+META_EXPORT_TEST
+void meta_run_main_loop (void);
+
 #endif /* META_MAIN_PRIVATE_H */
diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index 16ab6e81f..2a7cb4eaf 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -642,6 +642,22 @@ meta_register_with_session (void)
   g_free (opt_client_id);
 }
 
+void
+meta_start (void)
+{
+  meta_prefs_init ();
+  meta_prefs_add_listener (prefs_changed_callback, NULL);
+
+  if (!meta_display_open ())
+    meta_exit (META_EXIT_ERROR);
+}
+
+void
+meta_run_main_loop (void)
+{
+  g_main_loop_run (meta_main_loop);
+}
+
 /**
  * meta_run: (skip)
  *
@@ -653,15 +669,8 @@ meta_register_with_session (void)
 int
 meta_run (void)
 {
-  /* Load prefs */
-  meta_prefs_init ();
-  meta_prefs_add_listener (prefs_changed_callback, NULL);
-
-  if (!meta_display_open ())
-    meta_exit (META_EXIT_ERROR);
-
-  g_main_loop_run (meta_main_loop);
-
+  meta_start ();
+  meta_run_main_loop ();
   meta_finalize ();
 
   return meta_exit_code;