diff --git a/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/_call_client.js b/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/_call_client.js
index 1cec794512c33..8cab455a0cb5c 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/_call_client.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/_call_client.js
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ define(function (require) {
       var executable = statuses.filter(isRequest);
       var execCount = executable.length;
 
+      if (!execCount) return Promise.resolve([]);
+
       // resolved by respond()
       var esPromise;
       var defer = Promise.defer();
diff --git a/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/_fetch_these.js b/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/_fetch_these.js
index a629c9920187f..7b96dadae4689 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/_fetch_these.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/_fetch_these.js
@@ -23,22 +23,26 @@ define(function (require) {
     }
 
     function fetchWithStrategy(strategy, requests) {
+      function replaceAbortedRequests() {
+        requests = requests.map(r => r.aborted ? ABORTED : r);
+      }
 
-      requests = requests.map(function (req) {
-        return req.aborted ? ABORTED : req;
-      });
-
+      replaceAbortedRequests();
       return startRequests(requests)
       .then(function () {
+        replaceAbortedRequests();
         return callClient(strategy, requests);
       })
       .then(function (responses) {
+        replaceAbortedRequests();
         return callResponseHandlers(requests, responses);
       })
       .then(function (responses) {
+        replaceAbortedRequests();
         return continueIncomplete(strategy, requests, responses, fetchWithStrategy);
       })
       .then(function (responses) {
+        replaceAbortedRequests();
         return responses.map(function (resp) {
           switch (resp) {
             case ABORTED:
diff --git a/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/request/__tests__/segmented.js b/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/request/__tests__/segmented.js
index 7edfdd69190a1..a3882bc82fbbb 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/request/__tests__/segmented.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/request/__tests__/segmented.js
@@ -29,9 +29,7 @@ describe('ui/courier/fetch/request/segmented', () => {
       expect(returned.then).to.be.Function;
     });
 
-    it('does not call super.start() until promise is resolved', () => {
-      expect(searchReqStart.called).to.be(false);
-      $rootScope.$apply();
+    it('calls super.start() synchronously', () => {
       expect(searchReqStart.called).to.be(true);
     });
   });
diff --git a/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/request/segmented.js b/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/request/segmented.js
index 13ace5fcc0238..f7741b0ba584a 100644
--- a/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/request/segmented.js
+++ b/src/ui/public/courier/fetch/request/segmented.js
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ define(function (require) {
     SegmentedReq.prototype.start = function () {
       var self = this;
 
+      SearchReq.prototype.start.call(this);
+
       this._complete = [];
       this._active = null;
       this._segments = [];
@@ -58,12 +60,12 @@ define(function (require) {
       // parameters via the handle
       if (_.isFunction(this._initFn)) this._initFn(this._handle);
       return this._createQueue().then(function (queue) {
+        if (self.stopped) return;
+
         self._all = queue.slice(0);
 
         // Send the initial fetch status
         self._reportStatus();
-
-        return SearchReq.prototype.start.call(self);
       });
     };