diff --git a/nameko_grpc/client.py b/nameko_grpc/client.py
index 89b40d2..8885c40 100644
--- a/nameko_grpc/client.py
+++ b/nameko_grpc/client.py
@@ -163,7 +163,6 @@ def stop(self):
             self._channel.stop()
             self._channel = None
 
-    @property
     def channel(self):
         if self._channel is None:
             self._start_channel()
@@ -185,7 +184,7 @@ def timeout(self, send_stream, response_stream, deadline):
             time.sleep(0.001)
 
     def invoke(self, request_headers, request, timeout):
-        send_stream, response_stream = self.channel.send_request(request_headers)
+        send_stream, response_stream = self.channel().send_request(request_headers)
         if timeout:
             self.spawn_thread(
                 target=self.timeout,
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 6ee3c5c..503a315 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 setup(
     name="nameko-grpc",
-    version="1.4.0rc1",
+    version="1.4.0rc2",
     description="Nameko gRPC extensions",
     long_description=readme,
     long_description_content_type="text/markdown",
diff --git a/test/conftest.py b/test/conftest.py
index 2b22c0e..61947a0 100644
--- a/test/conftest.py
+++ b/test/conftest.py
@@ -399,6 +399,7 @@ def make(
             proto_name=None,
             compression_algorithm="none",
             compression_level="high",
+            lazy_startup=False,
         ):
             if proto_name is None:
                 proto_name = service_name
@@ -414,6 +415,7 @@ class Service:
                     stub_cls,
                     compression_algorithm=compression_algorithm,
                     compression_level=compression_level,
+                    lazy_startup=lazy_startup,
                 )
 
                 @dummy
diff --git a/test/test_basic.py b/test/test_basic.py
index dc5eb30..bf8263d 100644
--- a/test/test_basic.py
+++ b/test/test_basic.py
@@ -136,3 +136,17 @@ def test_lazy_client_does_not_connect_on_start(
     def test_nonlazy_client_connects_on_start(self, start_nameko_client, protobufs):
         with pytest.raises(ConnectionRefusedError):
             start_nameko_client("example", lazy_startup=False)
+
+    def test_lazy_client_with_with_dependency_provider(
+        self, start_dependency_provider, protobufs, start_grpc_server
+    ):
+        client = start_dependency_provider("example", lazy_startup=True)
+
+        with pytest.raises(ConnectionRefusedError):
+            client.unary_unary(protobufs.ExampleRequest(value="A"))
+
+        start_grpc_server("example")
+
+        # After starting the server, should now work
+        response = client.unary_unary(protobufs.ExampleRequest(value="A"))
+        assert response.message == "A"