diff --git a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRControllerFactory.mm b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRControllerFactory.mm
index 9539a8f6eabdee..3d77b893229d7b 100644
--- a/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRControllerFactory.mm
+++ b/src/darwin/Framework/CHIP/MTRControllerFactory.mm
@@ -309,6 +309,14 @@ - (BOOL)startup:(MTRControllerFactoryParams *)startupParams
             return;
         }
 
+        // Make sure we don't leave a system state running while we have no
+        // controllers started.  This is working around the fact that a system
+        // state is brought up live on factory init, and not when it comes time
+        // to actually start a controller, and does not actually clean itself up
+        // until its refcount (which starts as 0) goes to 0.
+        _controllerFactory->RetainSystemState();
+        _controllerFactory->ReleaseSystemState();
+
         self->_isRunning = YES;
     });