diff --git a/embrace-android-sdk/src/main/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/lifecycle/EmbraceProcessStateService.kt b/embrace-android-sdk/src/main/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/lifecycle/EmbraceProcessStateService.kt
index 03d0102193..04b7d7a625 100644
--- a/embrace-android-sdk/src/main/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/lifecycle/EmbraceProcessStateService.kt
+++ b/embrace-android-sdk/src/main/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/lifecycle/EmbraceProcessStateService.kt
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-@file:Suppress("DEPRECATION")
-
 package io.embrace.android.embracesdk.session.lifecycle
 
 import androidx.lifecycle.Lifecycle
-import androidx.lifecycle.OnLifecycleEvent
+import androidx.lifecycle.LifecycleEventObserver
+import androidx.lifecycle.LifecycleOwner
 import androidx.lifecycle.ProcessLifecycleOwner
 import io.embrace.android.embracesdk.internal.clock.Clock
 import io.embrace.android.embracesdk.logging.EmbLogger
@@ -19,8 +18,9 @@ import java.util.concurrent.CopyOnWriteArrayList
  */
 internal class EmbraceProcessStateService(
     private val clock: Clock,
-    private val logger: EmbLogger
-) : ProcessStateService {
+    private val logger: EmbLogger,
+    private val lifecycleOwner: LifecycleOwner = ProcessLifecycleOwner.get()
+) : ProcessStateService, LifecycleEventObserver {
 
     /**
      * List of listeners that subscribe to process lifecycle events.
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@ internal class EmbraceProcessStateService(
      * Returns if the app's in background or not.
      */
     @Volatile
-    // TODO: future: investigate setting via ProcessLifecycleOwner initial state
-    override var isInBackground = true
+    override var isInBackground = !lifecycleOwner.lifecycle.currentState.isAtLeast(Lifecycle.State.STARTED)
         private set
 
     init {
@@ -49,17 +48,25 @@ internal class EmbraceProcessStateService(
         ThreadUtils.runOnMainThread(
             logger,
             Runnable {
-                ProcessLifecycleOwner.get().lifecycle
-                    .addObserver(this@EmbraceProcessStateService)
+                lifecycleOwner.lifecycle.addObserver(this)
             }
         )
     }
 
+    override fun onStateChanged(source: LifecycleOwner, event: Lifecycle.Event) {
+        when (event) {
+            Lifecycle.Event.ON_START -> onForeground()
+            Lifecycle.Event.ON_STOP -> onBackground()
+            else -> {
+                // no-op
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * This method will be called by the ProcessLifecycleOwner when the main app process calls
      * ON START.
      */
-    @OnLifecycleEvent(Lifecycle.Event.ON_START)
     override fun onForeground() {
         logger.logDebug("AppState: App entered foreground.")
 
@@ -84,7 +91,6 @@ internal class EmbraceProcessStateService(
      * This method will be called by the ProcessLifecycleOwner when the main app process calls
      * ON STOP.
      */
-    @OnLifecycleEvent(Lifecycle.Event.ON_STOP)
     override fun onBackground() {
         logger.logDebug("AppState: App entered background")
         isInBackground = true
diff --git a/embrace-android-sdk/src/main/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/lifecycle/ProcessStateService.kt b/embrace-android-sdk/src/main/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/lifecycle/ProcessStateService.kt
index 5c6b5c98c3..6e813d8191 100644
--- a/embrace-android-sdk/src/main/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/lifecycle/ProcessStateService.kt
+++ b/embrace-android-sdk/src/main/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/lifecycle/ProcessStateService.kt
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 package io.embrace.android.embracesdk.session.lifecycle
 
-import androidx.lifecycle.LifecycleObserver
+import androidx.lifecycle.LifecycleEventObserver
 import java.io.Closeable
 
 /**
  * Service which handles Android process lifecycle callbacks.
  */
-internal interface ProcessStateService : LifecycleObserver, Closeable {
+internal interface ProcessStateService : LifecycleEventObserver, Closeable {
 
     /**
      * Whether the application is in the background.
diff --git a/embrace-android-sdk/src/test/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/fakes/FakeProcessStateService.kt b/embrace-android-sdk/src/test/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/fakes/FakeProcessStateService.kt
index ebd4d24660..4d24019ba8 100644
--- a/embrace-android-sdk/src/test/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/fakes/FakeProcessStateService.kt
+++ b/embrace-android-sdk/src/test/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/fakes/FakeProcessStateService.kt
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package io.embrace.android.embracesdk.fakes
 
 import android.content.res.Configuration
+import androidx.lifecycle.Lifecycle
+import androidx.lifecycle.LifecycleOwner
 import io.embrace.android.embracesdk.session.lifecycle.ProcessStateListener
 import io.embrace.android.embracesdk.session.lifecycle.ProcessStateService
 
@@ -8,6 +10,9 @@ internal class FakeProcessStateService(
     override var isInBackground: Boolean = false,
 ) : ProcessStateService {
 
+    override fun onStateChanged(source: LifecycleOwner, event: Lifecycle.Event) {
+    }
+
     val listeners: MutableList<ProcessStateListener> = mutableListOf()
     var config: Configuration? = null
 
diff --git a/embrace-android-sdk/src/test/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/EmbraceProcessStateServiceTest.kt b/embrace-android-sdk/src/test/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/EmbraceProcessStateServiceTest.kt
index c4d7872b22..3be82e81a6 100644
--- a/embrace-android-sdk/src/test/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/EmbraceProcessStateServiceTest.kt
+++ b/embrace-android-sdk/src/test/java/io/embrace/android/embracesdk/session/EmbraceProcessStateServiceTest.kt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package io.embrace.android.embracesdk.session
 
 import android.app.Application
 import android.os.Looper
+import androidx.lifecycle.Lifecycle
 import io.embrace.android.embracesdk.fakes.FakeClock
 import io.embrace.android.embracesdk.fakes.FakeEmbLogger
 import io.embrace.android.embracesdk.fakes.FakeProcessStateListener
@@ -217,6 +218,34 @@ internal class EmbraceProcessStateServiceTest {
         assertTrue(messages.isEmpty())
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun `launched in background`() {
+        stateService = EmbraceProcessStateService(
+            fakeClock,
+            fakeEmbLogger,
+            mockk {
+                every { lifecycle } returns mockk<Lifecycle> {
+                    every { currentState } returns Lifecycle.State.INITIALIZED
+                }
+            }
+        )
+        assertTrue(stateService.isInBackground)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `launched in foreground`() {
+        stateService = EmbraceProcessStateService(
+            fakeClock,
+            fakeEmbLogger,
+            mockk {
+                every { lifecycle } returns mockk<Lifecycle> {
+                    every { currentState } returns Lifecycle.State.STARTED
+                }
+            }
+        )
+        assertFalse(stateService.isInBackground)
+    }
+
     private class DecoratedListener(
         private val invocations: MutableList<String>
     ) : ProcessStateListener {