diff --git a/lambda-runtime/src/lib.rs b/lambda-runtime/src/lib.rs
index a5be8fd1..a178fa3b 100644
--- a/lambda-runtime/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lambda-runtime/src/lib.rs
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::{convert::TryFrom, env, fmt, future::Future, panic};
 use tokio::io::{AsyncRead, AsyncWrite};
 use tokio_stream::{Stream, StreamExt};
-use tower::util::ServiceFn;
 pub use tower::{self, service_fn, Service};
+use tower::{util::ServiceFn, ServiceExt};
 use tracing::{error, trace};
 
 mod requests;
@@ -112,41 +112,56 @@ where
             env::set_var("_X_AMZN_TRACE_ID", xray_trace_id);
 
             let request_id = &ctx.request_id.clone();
-            let task = panic::catch_unwind(panic::AssertUnwindSafe(|| handler.call(LambdaEvent::new(body, ctx))));
-
-            let req = match task {
-                Ok(response) => match response.await {
-                    Ok(response) => {
-                        trace!("Ok response from handler (run loop)");
-                        EventCompletionRequest {
-                            request_id,
-                            body: response,
-                        }
-                        .into_req()
-                    }
-                    Err(err) => {
-                        error!("{:?}", err); // logs the error in CloudWatch
-                        EventErrorRequest {
-                            request_id,
-                            diagnostic: Diagnostic {
-                                error_type: type_name_of_val(&err).to_owned(),
-                                error_message: format!("{}", err), // returns the error to the caller via Lambda API
-                            },
+            let req = match handler.ready().await {
+                Ok(handler) => {
+                    let task =
+                        panic::catch_unwind(panic::AssertUnwindSafe(|| handler.call(LambdaEvent::new(body, ctx))));
+                    match task {
+                        Ok(response) => match response.await {
+                            Ok(response) => {
+                                trace!("Ok response from handler (run loop)");
+                                EventCompletionRequest {
+                                    request_id,
+                                    body: response,
+                                }
+                                .into_req()
+                            }
+                            Err(err) => {
+                                error!("{:?}", err); // logs the error in CloudWatch
+                                EventErrorRequest {
+                                    request_id,
+                                    diagnostic: Diagnostic {
+                                        error_type: type_name_of_val(&err).to_owned(),
+                                        error_message: format!("{}", err), // returns the error to the caller via Lambda API
+                                    },
+                                }
+                                .into_req()
+                            }
+                        },
+                        Err(err) => {
+                            error!("{:?}", err);
+                            EventErrorRequest {
+                                request_id,
+                                diagnostic: Diagnostic {
+                                    error_type: type_name_of_val(&err).to_owned(),
+                                    error_message: if let Some(msg) = err.downcast_ref::<&str>() {
+                                        format!("Lambda panicked: {}", msg)
+                                    } else {
+                                        "Lambda panicked".to_string()
+                                    },
+                                },
+                            }
+                            .into_req()
                         }
-                        .into_req()
                     }
-                },
+                }
                 Err(err) => {
-                    error!("{:?}", err);
+                    error!("{:?}", err); // logs the error in CloudWatch
                     EventErrorRequest {
                         request_id,
                         diagnostic: Diagnostic {
                             error_type: type_name_of_val(&err).to_owned(),
-                            error_message: if let Some(msg) = err.downcast_ref::<&str>() {
-                                format!("Lambda panicked: {}", msg)
-                            } else {
-                                "Lambda panicked".to_string()
-                            },
+                            error_message: format!("{}", err), // returns the error to the caller via Lambda API
                         },
                     }
                     .into_req()