diff --git a/docs/release-notes/release-notes-0.19.0.md b/docs/release-notes/release-notes-0.19.0.md
index 156b71b5d..bd4b5d2c9 100644
--- a/docs/release-notes/release-notes-0.19.0.md
+++ b/docs/release-notes/release-notes-0.19.0.md
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ The underlying functionality between those two options remain the same.
       - [3](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/pull/9550)
       - [4](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/pull/9551)
       - [5](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/pull/9552)
+      - [6](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/pull/9555)
 
 * [Golang was updated to
   `v1.22.11`](https://github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/pull/9462). 
diff --git a/graph/db/graph.go b/graph/db/graph.go
index f926aaea3..b9891ffc2 100644
--- a/graph/db/graph.go
+++ b/graph/db/graph.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package graphdb
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
@@ -63,50 +64,18 @@ func NewChannelGraph(cfg *Config, options ...ChanGraphOption) (*ChannelGraph,
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if !opts.useGraphCache {
-		return &ChannelGraph{
-			KVStore: store,
-			quit:    make(chan struct{}),
-		}, nil
+	g := &ChannelGraph{
+		KVStore: store,
+		quit:    make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 
 	// The graph cache can be turned off (e.g. for mobile users) for a
 	// speed/memory usage tradeoff.
-	graphCache := NewGraphCache(opts.preAllocCacheNumNodes)
-	startTime := time.Now()
-	log.Debugf("Populating in-memory channel graph, this might take a " +
-		"while...")
-
-	err = store.ForEachNodeCacheable(func(node route.Vertex,
-		features *lnwire.FeatureVector) error {
-
-		graphCache.AddNodeFeatures(node, features)
-
-		return nil
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	if opts.useGraphCache {
+		g.graphCache = NewGraphCache(opts.preAllocCacheNumNodes)
 	}
 
-	err = store.ForEachChannel(func(info *models.ChannelEdgeInfo,
-		policy1, policy2 *models.ChannelEdgePolicy) error {
-
-		graphCache.AddChannel(info, policy1, policy2)
-
-		return nil
-	})
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	log.Debugf("Finished populating in-memory channel graph (took %v, %s)",
-		time.Since(startTime), graphCache.Stats())
-
-	return &ChannelGraph{
-		KVStore:    store,
-		graphCache: graphCache,
-		quit:       make(chan struct{}),
-	}, nil
+	return g, nil
 }
 
 // Start kicks off any goroutines required for the ChannelGraph to function.
@@ -119,6 +88,13 @@ func (c *ChannelGraph) Start() error {
 	log.Debugf("ChannelGraph starting")
 	defer log.Debug("ChannelGraph started")
 
+	if c.graphCache != nil {
+		if err := c.populateCache(); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("could not populate the graph "+
+				"cache: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -137,6 +113,42 @@ func (c *ChannelGraph) Stop() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// populateCache loads the entire channel graph into the in-memory graph cache.
+//
+// NOTE: This should only be called if the graphCache has been constructed.
+func (c *ChannelGraph) populateCache() error {
+	startTime := time.Now()
+	log.Info("Populating in-memory channel graph, this might take a " +
+		"while...")
+
+	err := c.KVStore.ForEachNodeCacheable(func(node route.Vertex,
+		features *lnwire.FeatureVector) error {
+
+		c.graphCache.AddNodeFeatures(node, features)
+
+		return nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	err = c.KVStore.ForEachChannel(func(info *models.ChannelEdgeInfo,
+		policy1, policy2 *models.ChannelEdgePolicy) error {
+
+		c.graphCache.AddChannel(info, policy1, policy2)
+
+		return nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	log.Infof("Finished populating in-memory channel graph (took %v, %s)",
+		time.Since(startTime), c.graphCache.Stats())
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // ForEachNodeDirectedChannel iterates through all channels of a given node,
 // executing the passed callback on the directed edge representing the channel
 // and its incoming policy. If the callback returns an error, then the iteration