diff --git a/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.spec.ts b/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.spec.ts
index 34e3f720a5..669cee37cf 100644
--- a/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.spec.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-/* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/unbound-method */
 import { Configuration, includes } from '@datadog/browser-core'
 import { StartRum } from '@datadog/browser-rum-core'
+import { createNewEvent } from '../../../core/test/specHelper'
 import { makeRumRecorderPublicApi, RumRecorderPublicApi, StartRecording } from './rumRecorderPublicApi'
 
 const DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION = { applicationId: 'xxx', clientToken: 'xxx' }
@@ -56,6 +56,14 @@ describe('makeRumRecorderPublicApi', () => {
       })
       expect(startRecordingSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     })
+
+    it('does not start recording before the page "load"', () => {
+      const { triggerOnLoad } = mockDocumentReadyState()
+      rumRecorderPublicApi.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      expect(startRecordingSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+      triggerOnLoad()
+      expect(startRecordingSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
   })
 
   describe('startSessionReplayRecording()', () => {
@@ -72,6 +80,15 @@ describe('makeRumRecorderPublicApi', () => {
       rumRecorderPublicApi.init({ ...DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION, manualSessionReplayRecordingStart: true })
       expect(startRecordingSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
     })
+
+    it('does not start recording multiple times if restarted before onload', () => {
+      const { triggerOnLoad } = mockDocumentReadyState()
+      rumRecorderPublicApi.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      rumRecorderPublicApi.stopSessionReplayRecording()
+      rumRecorderPublicApi.startSessionReplayRecording()
+      triggerOnLoad()
+      expect(startRecordingSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    })
   })
 
   describe('stopSessionReplayRecording()', () => {
@@ -85,7 +102,15 @@ describe('makeRumRecorderPublicApi', () => {
 
     it('does not start recording if called before init()', () => {
       rumRecorderPublicApi.stopSessionReplayRecording()
-      rumRecorderPublicApi.init({ ...DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION })
+      rumRecorderPublicApi.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      expect(startRecordingSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('prevents recording to start at page "load"', () => {
+      const { triggerOnLoad } = mockDocumentReadyState()
+      rumRecorderPublicApi.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      rumRecorderPublicApi.stopSessionReplayRecording()
+      triggerOnLoad()
       expect(startRecordingSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     })
   })
@@ -99,5 +124,26 @@ describe('makeRumRecorderPublicApi', () => {
       rumRecorderPublicApi.stopSessionReplayRecording()
       expect(getCommonContext().hasReplay).toBeUndefined()
     })
+
+    it('is undefined before page "load"', () => {
+      const { triggerOnLoad } = mockDocumentReadyState()
+      rumRecorderPublicApi.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      expect(getCommonContext().hasReplay).toBeUndefined()
+      rumRecorderPublicApi.startSessionReplayRecording()
+      expect(getCommonContext().hasReplay).toBeUndefined()
+      triggerOnLoad()
+      expect(getCommonContext().hasReplay).toBe(true)
+    })
   })
 })
+
+function mockDocumentReadyState() {
+  let readyState = 'loading'
+  spyOnProperty(Document.prototype, 'readyState', 'get').and.callFake(() => readyState)
+  return {
+    triggerOnLoad: () => {
+      readyState = 'complete'
+      window.dispatchEvent(createNewEvent('load'))
+    },
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.ts b/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.ts
index 1547cde58b..69b337f542 100644
--- a/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.ts
+++ b/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Configuration, monitor, noop } from '@datadog/browser-core'
+import { Configuration, monitor, noop, runOnReadyState } from '@datadog/browser-core'
 import { LifeCycleEventType, makeRumPublicApi, RumUserConfiguration, StartRum } from '@datadog/browser-rum-core'
 
 import { startRecording } from './recorder'
@@ -12,12 +12,16 @@ export interface RumRecorderUserConfiguration extends RumUserConfiguration {
 
 const enum RecorderStatus {
   Stopped,
+  Starting,
   Started,
 }
 type RecorderState =
   | {
       status: RecorderStatus.Stopped
     }
+  | {
+      status: RecorderStatus.Starting
+    }
   | {
       status: RecorderStatus.Started
       stopRecording: () => void
@@ -37,30 +41,41 @@ export function makeRumRecorderPublicApi(startRumImpl: StartRum, startRecordingI
     const { lifeCycle, parentContexts, configuration, session } = startRumResult
 
     startSessionReplayRecordingImpl = () => {
-      if (state.status === RecorderStatus.Started) {
+      if (state.status !== RecorderStatus.Stopped) {
         return
       }
 
-      const { stop: stopRecording } = startRecordingImpl(
-        lifeCycle,
-        userConfiguration.applicationId,
-        configuration,
-        session,
-        parentContexts
-      )
-      state = {
-        status: RecorderStatus.Started,
-        stopRecording,
-      }
-      lifeCycle.notify(LifeCycleEventType.RECORD_STARTED)
+      state = { status: RecorderStatus.Starting }
+
+      runOnReadyState('complete', () => {
+        if (state.status !== RecorderStatus.Starting) {
+          return
+        }
+
+        const { stop: stopRecording } = startRecordingImpl(
+          lifeCycle,
+          userConfiguration.applicationId,
+          configuration,
+          session,
+          parentContexts
+        )
+        state = {
+          status: RecorderStatus.Started,
+          stopRecording,
+        }
+        lifeCycle.notify(LifeCycleEventType.RECORD_STARTED)
+      })
     }
 
     stopSessionReplayRecordingImpl = () => {
-      if (state.status !== RecorderStatus.Started) {
+      if (state.status === RecorderStatus.Stopped) {
         return
       }
 
-      state.stopRecording()
+      if (state.status === RecorderStatus.Started) {
+        state.stopRecording()
+      }
+
       state = {
         status: RecorderStatus.Stopped,
       }
diff --git a/packages/rum-recorder/src/domain/record/record.ts b/packages/rum-recorder/src/domain/record/record.ts
index 15292f511e..b62daa4d4c 100644
--- a/packages/rum-recorder/src/domain/record/record.ts
+++ b/packages/rum-recorder/src/domain/record/record.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-import { runOnReadyState } from '@datadog/browser-core'
 import { RecordType } from '../../types'
 import { serializeDocument } from './serialize'
 import { initObservers } from './observer'
-import { IncrementalSource, ListenerHandler, RecordAPI, RecordOptions } from './types'
+import { IncrementalSource, RecordAPI, RecordOptions } from './types'
 import { getWindowHeight, getWindowWidth } from './utils'
 import { MutationController } from './mutationObserver'
 
@@ -58,92 +57,83 @@ export function record(options: RecordOptions): RecordAPI {
     })
   }
 
-  const handlers: ListenerHandler[] = []
-  const init = () => {
-    takeFullSnapshot()
+  takeFullSnapshot()
 
-    handlers.push(
-      initObservers({
-        mutationController,
-        inputCb: (v) =>
-          emit({
-            data: {
-              source: IncrementalSource.Input,
-              ...v,
-            },
-            type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
-          }),
-        mediaInteractionCb: (p) =>
-          emit({
-            data: {
-              source: IncrementalSource.MediaInteraction,
-              ...p,
-            },
-            type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
-          }),
-        mouseInteractionCb: (d) =>
-          emit({
-            data: {
-              source: IncrementalSource.MouseInteraction,
-              ...d,
-            },
-            type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
-          }),
-        mousemoveCb: (positions, source) =>
-          emit({
-            data: {
-              positions,
-              source,
-            },
-            type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
-          }),
-        mutationCb: (m) =>
-          emit({
-            data: {
-              source: IncrementalSource.Mutation,
-              ...m,
-            },
-            type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
-          }),
-        scrollCb: (p) =>
-          emit({
-            data: {
-              source: IncrementalSource.Scroll,
-              ...p,
-            },
-            type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
-          }),
-        styleSheetRuleCb: (r) =>
-          emit({
-            data: {
-              source: IncrementalSource.StyleSheetRule,
-              ...r,
-            },
-            type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
-          }),
-        viewportResizeCb: (d) =>
-          emit({
-            data: {
-              source: IncrementalSource.ViewportResize,
-              ...d,
-            },
-            type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
-          }),
-        focusCb: (data) =>
-          emit({
-            type: RecordType.Focus,
-            data,
-          }),
-      })
-    )
-  }
-
-  runOnReadyState('complete', init)
+  const stopObservers = initObservers({
+    mutationController,
+    inputCb: (v) =>
+      emit({
+        data: {
+          source: IncrementalSource.Input,
+          ...v,
+        },
+        type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
+      }),
+    mediaInteractionCb: (p) =>
+      emit({
+        data: {
+          source: IncrementalSource.MediaInteraction,
+          ...p,
+        },
+        type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
+      }),
+    mouseInteractionCb: (d) =>
+      emit({
+        data: {
+          source: IncrementalSource.MouseInteraction,
+          ...d,
+        },
+        type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
+      }),
+    mousemoveCb: (positions, source) =>
+      emit({
+        data: {
+          positions,
+          source,
+        },
+        type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
+      }),
+    mutationCb: (m) =>
+      emit({
+        data: {
+          source: IncrementalSource.Mutation,
+          ...m,
+        },
+        type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
+      }),
+    scrollCb: (p) =>
+      emit({
+        data: {
+          source: IncrementalSource.Scroll,
+          ...p,
+        },
+        type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
+      }),
+    styleSheetRuleCb: (r) =>
+      emit({
+        data: {
+          source: IncrementalSource.StyleSheetRule,
+          ...r,
+        },
+        type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
+      }),
+    viewportResizeCb: (d) =>
+      emit({
+        data: {
+          source: IncrementalSource.ViewportResize,
+          ...d,
+        },
+        type: RecordType.IncrementalSnapshot,
+      }),
+    focusCb: (data) =>
+      emit({
+        type: RecordType.Focus,
+        data,
+      }),
+  })
 
   return {
-    stop: () => {
-      handlers.forEach((h) => h())
-    },
+    stop: stopObservers,
     takeFullSnapshot,
   }
 }