diff --git a/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/ComponentContainer.java b/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/ComponentContainer.java
index b878ba048..bb80429c8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/ComponentContainer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/ComponentContainer.java
@@ -22,10 +22,17 @@ public class ComponentContainer {
 
 	private Map<Class<?>, StrolchComponent> componentMap;
 	private Map<String, ComponentController> controllerMap;
-
 	private ComponentDependencyAnalyzer dependencyAnalyzer;
-
 	private StrolchConfiguration strolchConfiguration;
+	private ComponentState state;
+
+	public ComponentContainer() {
+		this.state = ComponentState.UNDEFINED;
+	}
+
+	public ComponentState getState() {
+		return this.state;
+	}
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	public <T> T getComponent(Class<T> clazz) {
@@ -186,6 +193,7 @@ public class ComponentContainer {
 
 		Set<ComponentController> rootUpstreamComponents = this.dependencyAnalyzer.findRootUpstreamComponents();
 		initialize(rootUpstreamComponents);
+		this.state = this.state.validateStateChange(ComponentState.INITIALIZED);
 
 		String msg = "All {0} Strolch Components have been initialized."; //$NON-NLS-1$
 		logger.info(MessageFormat.format(msg, this.controllerMap.size()));
@@ -197,6 +205,7 @@ public class ComponentContainer {
 
 		Set<ComponentController> rootUpstreamComponents = this.dependencyAnalyzer.findRootUpstreamComponents();
 		start(rootUpstreamComponents);
+		this.state = this.state.validateStateChange(ComponentState.STARTED);
 
 		String msg = "All {0} Strolch Components started and container now ready to be used. Have fun =))"; //$NON-NLS-1$
 		logger.info(MessageFormat.format(msg, this.controllerMap.size()));
@@ -208,6 +217,7 @@ public class ComponentContainer {
 
 		Set<ComponentController> rootUpstreamComponents = this.dependencyAnalyzer.findRootDownstreamComponents();
 		stop(rootUpstreamComponents);
+		this.state = this.state.validateStateChange(ComponentState.STOPPED);
 
 		String msg = "All {0} Strolch Components have been stopped."; //$NON-NLS-1$
 		logger.info(MessageFormat.format(msg, this.controllerMap.size()));
@@ -219,6 +229,7 @@ public class ComponentContainer {
 
 		Set<ComponentController> rootUpstreamComponents = this.dependencyAnalyzer.findRootDownstreamComponents();
 		destroy(rootUpstreamComponents);
+		this.state = this.state.validateStateChange(ComponentState.DESTROYED);
 
 		String msg = "All {0} Strolch Components have been destroyed!"; //$NON-NLS-1$
 		logger.info(MessageFormat.format(msg, this.controllerMap.size()));
diff --git a/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/ComponentState.java b/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/ComponentState.java
index ca1e11c86..ed8226450 100644
--- a/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/ComponentState.java
+++ b/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/ComponentState.java
@@ -1,6 +1,45 @@
 package li.strolch.runtime.component;
 
+import java.text.MessageFormat;
+
 public enum ComponentState {
 
 	UNDEFINED, INITIALIZED, STARTED, STOPPED, DESTROYED;
+
+	public ComponentState validateStateChange(ComponentState newState) {
+
+		if (this == newState)
+			return this;
+
+		switch (this) {
+		case UNDEFINED:
+			if (newState != ComponentState.INITIALIZED)
+				throw getIllegalStateEx(newState);
+			break;
+		case INITIALIZED:
+			if (newState != ComponentState.STARTED)
+				throw getIllegalStateEx(newState);
+			break;
+		case STARTED:
+			if (newState != ComponentState.STOPPED)
+				throw getIllegalStateEx(newState);
+			break;
+		case STOPPED:
+			if (newState != ComponentState.STARTED && newState != ComponentState.DESTROYED)
+				throw getIllegalStateEx(newState);
+			break;
+		case DESTROYED:
+			throw getIllegalStateEx(newState);
+		default:
+			throw getIllegalStateEx(newState);
+		}
+
+		return newState;
+	}
+
+	private IllegalStateException getIllegalStateEx(ComponentState newState) {
+		String msg = "Moving from state {0} to state {1} is not allowed!"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+		msg = MessageFormat.format(msg, this, newState);
+		throw new IllegalStateException(msg);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/StrolchComponent.java b/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/StrolchComponent.java
index 953a130bf..9c5a32586 100644
--- a/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/StrolchComponent.java
+++ b/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/component/StrolchComponent.java
@@ -31,43 +31,6 @@ public class StrolchComponent {
 		return this.container;
 	}
 
-	private IllegalStateException getIllegalStateEx(ComponentState currentState, ComponentState newState) {
-		String msg = "Moving from state {0} to state {1} is not allowed!"; //$NON-NLS-1$
-		msg = MessageFormat.format(msg, currentState, newState);
-		throw new IllegalStateException(msg);
-	}
-
-	protected void changeState(ComponentState newState) {
-
-		if (this.state == newState)
-			return;
-
-		switch (this.state) {
-		case UNDEFINED:
-			if (newState != ComponentState.INITIALIZED)
-				throw getIllegalStateEx(this.state, newState);
-			break;
-		case INITIALIZED:
-			if (newState != ComponentState.STARTED)
-				throw getIllegalStateEx(this.state, newState);
-			break;
-		case STARTED:
-			if (newState != ComponentState.STOPPED)
-				throw getIllegalStateEx(this.state, newState);
-			break;
-		case STOPPED:
-			if (newState != ComponentState.STARTED && newState != ComponentState.DESTROYED)
-				throw getIllegalStateEx(this.state, newState);
-			break;
-		case DESTROYED:
-			throw getIllegalStateEx(this.state, newState);
-		default:
-			throw getIllegalStateEx(this.state, newState);
-		}
-
-		this.state = newState;
-	}
-
 	protected void assertStarted() {
 		if (getState() != ComponentState.STARTED) {
 			String msg = "Component {0} is not yet started!"; //$NON-NLS-1$
@@ -75,19 +38,26 @@ public class StrolchComponent {
 		}
 	}
 
+	protected void assertContainerStarted() {
+		if (getContainer().getState() != ComponentState.STARTED) {
+			String msg = "Container is not yet started!"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+			throw new IllegalStateException(msg);
+		}
+	}
+
 	public void initialize(ComponentConfiguration configuration) {
-		changeState(ComponentState.INITIALIZED);
+		this.state = this.state.validateStateChange(ComponentState.INITIALIZED);
 	}
 
 	public void start() {
-		changeState(ComponentState.STARTED);
+		this.state = this.state.validateStateChange(ComponentState.STARTED);
 	}
 
 	public void stop() {
-		changeState(ComponentState.STOPPED);
+		this.state = this.state.validateStateChange(ComponentState.STOPPED);
 	}
 
 	public void destroy() {
-		changeState(ComponentState.DESTROYED);
+		this.state = this.state.validateStateChange(ComponentState.DESTROYED);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/privilege/DefaultStrolchPrivilegeHandler.java b/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/privilege/DefaultStrolchPrivilegeHandler.java
index 0428bb8c6..1977e0060 100644
--- a/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/privilege/DefaultStrolchPrivilegeHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/li/strolch/runtime/privilege/DefaultStrolchPrivilegeHandler.java
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public class DefaultStrolchPrivilegeHandler extends StrolchComponent implements
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public Certificate authenticate(String username, byte[] password) {
-		assertStarted();
+		assertContainerStarted();
 		return this.privilegeHandler.authenticate(username, password);
 	}
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public class DefaultStrolchPrivilegeHandler extends StrolchComponent implements
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public void isCertificateValid(Certificate certificate) throws PrivilegeException {
-		assertStarted();
+		assertContainerStarted();
 		this.privilegeHandler.isCertificateValid(certificate);
 	}
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class DefaultStrolchPrivilegeHandler extends StrolchComponent implements
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public boolean invalidateSession(Certificate certificate) {
-		assertStarted();
+		assertContainerStarted();
 		return this.privilegeHandler.invalidateSession(certificate);
 	}
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public class DefaultStrolchPrivilegeHandler extends StrolchComponent implements
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public PrivilegeContext getPrivilegeContext(Certificate certificate) throws PrivilegeException {
-		assertStarted();
+		assertContainerStarted();
 		return this.privilegeHandler.getPrivilegeContext(certificate);
 	}
 
@@ -90,13 +90,13 @@ public class DefaultStrolchPrivilegeHandler extends StrolchComponent implements
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public void runAsSystem(String systemUsername, SystemUserAction action) throws PrivilegeException {
-		assertStarted();
+		assertContainerStarted();
 		this.privilegeHandler.runAsSystem(systemUsername, action);
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public PrivilegeHandler getPrivilegeHandler(Certificate certificate) throws PrivilegeException {
-		assertStarted();
+		assertContainerStarted();
 		this.privilegeHandler.assertIsPrivilegeAdmin(certificate);
 		return this.privilegeHandler;
 	}