diff --git a/tapfreighter/chain_porter.go b/tapfreighter/chain_porter.go
index be5fc0135..ccb575c8d 100644
--- a/tapfreighter/chain_porter.go
+++ b/tapfreighter/chain_porter.go
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func NewChainPorter(cfg *ChainPorterConfig) *ChainPorter {
 	)
 	return &ChainPorter{
 		cfg:             cfg,
-		outboundParcels: make(chan Parcel),
+		outboundParcels: make(chan Parcel, 10),
 		subscribers:     subscribers,
 		ContextGuard: &fn.ContextGuard{
 			DefaultTimeout: tapgarden.DefaultTimeout,
@@ -150,9 +150,20 @@ func (p *ChainPorter) Start() error {
 
 		// Start the main chain porter goroutine.
 		p.Wg.Add(1)
-		go p.mainEventLoop()
+		go func() {
+			defer p.Wg.Done()
+			p.mainEventLoop()
+		}()
 
-		startErr = p.resumePendingParcels()
+		// Resume any pending parcels in a new goroutine so that we
+		// don't delay returning from the Start method. Without this
+		// goroutine the resumePendingParcels method would block on the
+		// buffering constraint of the outboundParcels channel.
+		p.Wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer p.Wg.Done()
+			startErr = p.resumePendingParcels()
+		}()
 	})
 
 	return startErr
@@ -311,8 +322,6 @@ func (p *ChainPorter) QueryParcels(ctx context.Context,
 // requests, and attempt to complete a transfer. A response is sent back to the
 // caller if a transfer can be completed. Otherwise, an error is returned.
 func (p *ChainPorter) mainEventLoop() {
-	defer p.Wg.Done()
-
 	for {
 		select {
 		case outboundParcel := <-p.outboundParcels: