diff --git a/src/main/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/StartMojo.java b/src/main/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/StartMojo.java
index 85f473dcc..f4df8fc83 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/StartMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/fabric8/maven/docker/StartMojo.java
@@ -297,11 +297,12 @@ private void startImage(final ImageConfiguration imageConfig,
 
         startingContainers.submit(() -> {
 
+            String containerId = startExecutor.startContainers();
+
             // Update port-mapping writer
             portMappingPropertyWriteHelper.add(portMapping, runConfig.getPortPropertyFile());
 
 
-            String containerId = startExecutor.startContainers();
 
             return new StartedContainer(imageConfig, containerId);
         });