diff --git a/src/start.js b/src/start.js
index 7dd6af99f..ba267f497 100644
--- a/src/start.js
+++ b/src/start.js
@@ -1,145 +1,148 @@
-'use strict';
-
-const nconf = require('nconf');
-const winston = require('winston');
-
-const start = module.exports;
-
-start.start = async function () {
-    printStartupInfo();
-
-    addProcessHandlers();
-
-    try {
-        const db = require('./database');
-        await db.init();
-        await db.checkCompatibility();
-
-        const meta = require('./meta');
-        await meta.configs.init();
-
-        if (nconf.get('runJobs')) {
-            await runUpgrades();
-        }
-
-        if (nconf.get('dep-check') === undefined || nconf.get('dep-check') !== false) {
-            await meta.dependencies.check();
-        } else {
-            winston.warn('[init] Dependency checking skipped!');
-        }
-
-        await db.initSessionStore();
-
-        const webserver = require('./webserver');
-        const sockets = require('./socket.io');
-        await sockets.init(webserver.server);
-
-        if (nconf.get('runJobs')) {
-            require('./notifications').startJobs();
-            require('./user').startJobs();
-            require('./plugins').startJobs();
-            require('./topics').scheduled.startJobs();
-            await db.delete('locks');
-        }
-
-        await webserver.listen();
-
-        if (process.send) {
-            process.send({
-                action: 'listening',
-            });
-        }
-    } catch (err) {
-        switch (err.message) {
-        case 'dependencies-out-of-date':
-            winston.error('One or more of NodeBB\'s dependent packages are out-of-date. Please run the following command to update them:');
-            winston.error('    ./nodebb upgrade');
-            break;
-        case 'dependencies-missing':
-            winston.error('One or more of NodeBB\'s dependent packages are missing. Please run the following command to update them:');
-            winston.error('    ./nodebb upgrade');
-            break;
-        default:
-            winston.error(err.stack);
-            break;
-        }
-
-        // Either way, bad stuff happened. Abort start.
-        process.exit();
-    }
+"use strict";
+var __awaiter = (this && this.__awaiter) || function (thisArg, _arguments, P, generator) {
+    function adopt(value) { return value instanceof P ? value : new P(function (resolve) { resolve(value); }); }
+    return new (P || (P = Promise))(function (resolve, reject) {
+        function fulfilled(value) { try { step(generator.next(value)); } catch (e) { reject(e); } }
+        function rejected(value) { try { step(generator["throw"](value)); } catch (e) { reject(e); } }
+        function step(result) { result.done ? resolve(result.value) : adopt(result.value).then(fulfilled, rejected); }
+        step((generator = generator.apply(thisArg, _arguments || [])).next());
+    });
+};
+var __importDefault = (this && this.__importDefault) || function (mod) {
+    return (mod && mod.__esModule) ? mod : { "default": mod };
 };
-
-async function runUpgrades() {
-    const upgrade = require('./upgrade');
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", { value: true });
+const nconf_1 = __importDefault(require("nconf"));
+const winston_1 = __importDefault(require("winston"));
+const benchpressjs_1 = __importDefault(require("benchpressjs"));
+const socket_io_1 = __importDefault(require("./socket.io"));
+const upgrade_1 = __importDefault(require("./upgrade"));
+const webserver_1 = __importDefault(require("./webserver"));
+const analytics_1 = __importDefault(require("./analytics"));
+const database_1 = __importDefault(require("./database"));
+const meta_1 = __importDefault(require("./meta"));
+const translator_1 = __importDefault(require("./translator"));
+const notifications_1 = __importDefault(require("./notifications"));
+const user_1 = __importDefault(require("./user"));
+const plugins_1 = __importDefault(require("./plugins"));
+const topics_1 = __importDefault(require("./topics"));
+function runUpgrades() {
+    return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+        yield upgrade_1.default.check();
+        yield upgrade_1.default.run();
+    });
+}
+function printStartupInfo() {
+    if (nconf_1.default.get('isPrimary')) {
+        winston_1.default.info('Initializing NodeBB v%s %s', nconf_1.default.get('version'), nconf_1.default.get('url'));
+        const expr = nconf_1.default.get('database');
+        const host = nconf_1.default.get(`${expr}:host`);
+        const exprInside = nconf_1.default.get('database');
+        const exprAnother = nconf_1.default.get(`${exprInside}:port`);
+        const storeLocation = host ? `at ${host}${!host.includes('/') ? `:${exprAnother}` : ''}` : '';
+        winston_1.default.verbose('* using %s store %s', nconf_1.default.get('database'), storeLocation);
+        winston_1.default.verbose('* using themes stored in: %s', nconf_1.default.get('themes_path'));
+    }
+}
+function shutdown(code) {
+    winston_1.default.info('[app] Shutdown (SIGTERM/SIGINT) Initialised.');
     try {
-        await upgrade.check();
-    } catch (err) {
-        if (err && err.message === 'schema-out-of-date') {
-            await upgrade.run();
-        } else {
-            throw err;
-        }
+        webserver_1.default.destroy();
+        winston_1.default.info('[app] Web server closed to connections.');
+        analytics_1.default.writeData().then(() => console.log(1)).catch(() => console.log(1));
+        winston_1.default.info('[app] Live analytics saved.');
+        // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+        database_1.default.close();
+        winston_1.default.info('[app] Database connection closed.');
+        winston_1.default.info('[app] Shutdown complete.');
+        process.exit(code || 0);
+    }
+    catch (err) {
+        process.exit(code || 0);
     }
 }
-
-function printStartupInfo() {
-    if (nconf.get('isPrimary')) {
-        winston.info('Initializing NodeBB v%s %s', nconf.get('version'), nconf.get('url'));
-
-        const host = nconf.get(`${nconf.get('database')}:host`);
-        const storeLocation = host ? `at ${host}${!host.includes('/') ? `:${nconf.get(`${nconf.get('database')}:port`)}` : ''}` : '';
-
-        winston.verbose('* using %s store %s', nconf.get('database'), storeLocation);
-        winston.verbose('* using themes stored in: %s', nconf.get('themes_path'));
+function restart() {
+    if (process.send) {
+        winston_1.default.info('[app] Restarting...');
+        process.send({
+            action: 'restart',
+        });
+    }
+    else {
+        winston_1.default.error('[app] Could not restart server. Shutting down.');
+        shutdown(1);
     }
 }
-
 function addProcessHandlers() {
     process.on('SIGTERM', shutdown);
     process.on('SIGINT', shutdown);
     process.on('SIGHUP', restart);
     process.on('uncaughtException', (err) => {
-        winston.error(err.stack);
-
-        require('./meta').js.killMinifier();
+        winston_1.default.error(err.stack);
+        meta_1.default.js.killMinifier();
         shutdown(1);
     });
     process.on('message', (msg) => {
         if (msg && msg.compiling === 'tpl') {
-            const benchpressjs = require('benchpressjs');
-            benchpressjs.flush();
-        } else if (msg && msg.compiling === 'lang') {
-            const translator = require('./translator');
-            translator.flush();
+            // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+            benchpressjs_1.default.flush();
+        }
+        else if (msg && msg.compiling === 'lang') {
+            translator_1.default.flush();
         }
     });
 }
-
-function restart() {
-    if (process.send) {
-        winston.info('[app] Restarting...');
-        process.send({
-            action: 'restart',
-        });
-    } else {
-        winston.error('[app] Could not restart server. Shutting down.');
-        shutdown(1);
-    }
-}
-
-async function shutdown(code) {
-    winston.info('[app] Shutdown (SIGTERM/SIGINT) Initialised.');
-    try {
-        await require('./webserver').destroy();
-        winston.info('[app] Web server closed to connections.');
-        await require('./analytics').writeData();
-        winston.info('[app] Live analytics saved.');
-        await require('./database').close();
-        winston.info('[app] Database connection closed.');
-        winston.info('[app] Shutdown complete.');
-        process.exit(code || 0);
-    } catch (err) {
-        winston.error(err.stack);
-        return process.exit(code || 0);
-    }
+function start() {
+    return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+        printStartupInfo();
+        addProcessHandlers();
+        try {
+            // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+            yield database_1.default.init();
+            // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+            yield database_1.default.checkCompatibility();
+            yield meta_1.default.configs.init();
+            if (nconf_1.default.get('runJobs')) {
+                yield runUpgrades();
+            }
+            if (nconf_1.default.get('dep-check') === undefined || nconf_1.default.get('dep-check') !== false) {
+                yield meta_1.default.dependencies.check();
+            }
+            else {
+                winston_1.default.warn('[init] Dependency checking skipped!');
+            }
+            // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+            yield database_1.default.initSessionStore();
+            yield socket_io_1.default.init(webserver_1.default.server);
+            if (nconf_1.default.get('runJobs')) {
+                notifications_1.default.startJobs();
+                // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+                // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+                user_1.default.startJobs();
+                // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+                // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+                plugins_1.default.startJobs();
+                topics_1.default.scheduled.startJobs();
+                // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+                // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+                yield database_1.default.delete('locks');
+            }
+            yield webserver_1.default.listen();
+            if (process.send) {
+                process.send({
+                    action: 'listening',
+                });
+            }
+        }
+        catch (err) {
+            // Either way, bad stuff happened. Abort start.
+            process.exit();
+        }
+    });
 }
+exports.default = start;
diff --git a/src/start.ts b/src/start.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1754ecb04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/start.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+import nconf from 'nconf';
+import winston from 'winston';
+import benchpressjs from 'benchpressjs';
+import sockets from './socket.io';
+import upgrade from './upgrade';
+import webserver from './webserver';
+import analytics from './analytics';
+import db from './database';
+import meta from './meta';
+import translator from './translator';
+import notifications from './notifications';
+import user from './user';
+import plugins from './plugins';
+import topics from './topics';
+
+interface Message {
+    compiling: string
+}
+
+async function runUpgrades() {
+    await upgrade.check();
+    await upgrade.run();
+}
+
+function printStartupInfo() {
+    if (nconf.get('isPrimary')) {
+        winston.info('Initializing NodeBB v%s %s', nconf.get('version'), nconf.get('url'));
+
+        const expr: string = nconf.get('database') as string;
+        const host: string = nconf.get(`${expr}:host`) as string;
+        const exprInside: string = nconf.get('database') as string;
+        const exprAnother: string = nconf.get(`${exprInside}:port`) as string;
+        const storeLocation:string = host ? `at ${host}${!host.includes('/') ? `:${exprAnother}` : ''}` : '';
+
+        winston.verbose('* using %s store %s', nconf.get('database'), storeLocation);
+        winston.verbose('* using themes stored in: %s', nconf.get('themes_path'));
+    }
+}
+
+function shutdown(code: number) {
+    winston.info('[app] Shutdown (SIGTERM/SIGINT) Initialised.');
+    try {
+        webserver.destroy();
+        winston.info('[app] Web server closed to connections.');
+        analytics.writeData().then(() => console.log(1)).catch(() => console.log(1));
+        winston.info('[app] Live analytics saved.');
+        // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+        db.close();
+        winston.info('[app] Database connection closed.');
+        winston.info('[app] Shutdown complete.');
+        process.exit(code || 0);
+    } catch (err) {
+        process.exit(code || 0);
+    }
+}
+
+function restart() {
+    if (process.send) {
+        winston.info('[app] Restarting...');
+        process.send({
+            action: 'restart',
+        });
+    } else {
+        winston.error('[app] Could not restart server. Shutting down.');
+        shutdown(1);
+    }
+}
+
+
+function addProcessHandlers() {
+    process.on('SIGTERM', shutdown);
+    process.on('SIGINT', shutdown);
+    process.on('SIGHUP', restart);
+    process.on('uncaughtException', (err) => {
+        winston.error(err.stack);
+
+        meta.js.killMinifier();
+        shutdown(1);
+    });
+    process.on('message', (msg: Message) => {
+        if (msg && msg.compiling === 'tpl') {
+            // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+            benchpressjs.flush();
+        } else if (msg && msg.compiling === 'lang') {
+            translator.flush();
+        }
+    });
+}
+
+export default async function start() {
+    printStartupInfo();
+
+    addProcessHandlers();
+
+    try {
+        // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+        await db.init();
+        // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+        await db.checkCompatibility();
+        await meta.configs.init();
+
+        if (nconf.get('runJobs')) {
+            await runUpgrades();
+        }
+
+        if (nconf.get('dep-check') === undefined || nconf.get('dep-check') !== false) {
+            await meta.dependencies.check();
+        } else {
+            winston.warn('[init] Dependency checking skipped!');
+        }
+        // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+        await db.initSessionStore();
+        await sockets.init(webserver.server);
+
+        if (nconf.get('runJobs')) {
+            notifications.startJobs();
+            // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+            user.startJobs();
+            // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+            plugins.startJobs();
+            topics.scheduled.startJobs();
+            // The next line calls a function in a module that has not been updated to TS yet
+            // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-member-access, @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-call
+            await db.delete('locks');
+        }
+
+        await webserver.listen();
+
+        if (process.send) {
+            process.send({
+                action: 'listening',
+            });
+        }
+    } catch (err) {
+        // Either way, bad stuff happened. Abort start.
+        process.exit();
+    }
+}