diff --git a/shell/common/animator.cc b/shell/common/animator.cc
index 39cb93b88e9ea..d0f91bcaae8f4 100644
--- a/shell/common/animator.cc
+++ b/shell/common/animator.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ Animator::Animator(Delegate& delegate,
     : delegate_(delegate),
       task_runners_(std::move(task_runners)),
       waiter_(std::move(waiter)),
-      dart_frame_deadline_(0),
 #if SHELL_ENABLE_METAL
       layer_tree_pipeline_(std::make_shared<LayerTreePipeline>(2)),
 #else   // SHELL_ENABLE_METAL
@@ -41,11 +40,6 @@ Animator::Animator(Delegate& delegate,
               : 2)),
 #endif  // SHELL_ENABLE_METAL
       pending_frame_semaphore_(1),
-      paused_(false),
-      regenerate_layer_tree_(false),
-      frame_scheduled_(false),
-      notify_idle_task_id_(0),
-      dimension_change_pending_(false),
       weak_factory_(this) {
 }
 
@@ -92,10 +86,10 @@ const char* Animator::FrameParity() {
   return (frame_number % 2) ? "even" : "odd";
 }
 
-static int64_t FxlToDartOrEarlier(fml::TimePoint time) {
-  int64_t dart_now = Dart_TimelineGetMicros();
+static fml::TimePoint FxlToDartOrEarlier(fml::TimePoint time) {
+  auto dart_now = fml::TimeDelta::FromMicroseconds(Dart_TimelineGetMicros());
   fml::TimePoint fxl_now = fml::TimePoint::Now();
-  return (time - fxl_now).ToMicroseconds() + dart_now;
+  return fml::TimePoint::FromEpochDelta(time - fxl_now + dart_now);
 }
 
 void Animator::BeginFrame(
@@ -275,7 +269,8 @@ void Animator::AwaitVSync() {
         }
       });
 
-  delegate_.OnAnimatorNotifyIdle(dart_frame_deadline_);
+  delegate_.OnAnimatorNotifyIdle(
+      dart_frame_deadline_.ToEpochDelta().ToMicroseconds());
 }
 
 void Animator::ScheduleSecondaryVsyncCallback(uintptr_t id,
diff --git a/shell/common/animator.h b/shell/common/animator.h
index 8061e223a5b03..544c6c77ba370 100644
--- a/shell/common/animator.h
+++ b/shell/common/animator.h
@@ -106,15 +106,15 @@ class Animator final {
 
   std::unique_ptr<FrameTimingsRecorder> frame_timings_recorder_;
   uint64_t frame_request_number_ = 1;
-  int64_t dart_frame_deadline_;
+  fml::TimePoint dart_frame_deadline_;
   std::shared_ptr<LayerTreePipeline> layer_tree_pipeline_;
   fml::Semaphore pending_frame_semaphore_;
   LayerTreePipeline::ProducerContinuation producer_continuation_;
-  bool paused_;
-  bool regenerate_layer_tree_;
-  bool frame_scheduled_;
-  int notify_idle_task_id_;
-  bool dimension_change_pending_;
+  bool paused_ = true;
+  bool regenerate_layer_tree_ = false;
+  bool frame_scheduled_ = false;
+  int notify_idle_task_id_ = 0;
+  bool dimension_change_pending_ = false;
   SkISize last_layer_tree_size_ = {0, 0};
   std::deque<uint64_t> trace_flow_ids_;
 
diff --git a/shell/common/animator_unittests.cc b/shell/common/animator_unittests.cc
index ecb9e254a97f5..34c237ea93182 100644
--- a/shell/common/animator_unittests.cc
+++ b/shell/common/animator_unittests.cc
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ TEST_F(ShellTest, VSyncTargetTime) {
   fml::TaskRunner::RunNowOrPostTask(shell->GetTaskRunners().GetUITaskRunner(),
                                     [engine = shell->GetEngine()]() {
                                       if (engine) {
+                                        // Engine needs a surface for frames to
+                                        // be scheduled.
+                                        engine->OnOutputSurfaceCreated();
                                         // this implies we can re-use the last
                                         // frame to trigger begin frame rather
                                         // than re-generating the layer tree.
@@ -94,5 +97,28 @@ TEST_F(ShellTest, VSyncTargetTime) {
   ASSERT_FALSE(DartVMRef::IsInstanceRunning());
 }
 
+TEST_F(ShellTest, AnimatorStartsPaused) {
+  // Create all te prerequisites for a shell.
+  ASSERT_FALSE(DartVMRef::IsInstanceRunning());
+  auto settings = CreateSettingsForFixture();
+  TaskRunners task_runners = GetTaskRunnersForFixture();
+
+  auto shell = CreateShell(std::move(settings), task_runners);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(DartVMRef::IsInstanceRunning());
+
+  auto configuration = RunConfiguration::InferFromSettings(settings);
+  ASSERT_TRUE(configuration.IsValid());
+
+  configuration.SetEntrypoint("emptyMain");
+
+  RunEngine(shell.get(), std::move(configuration));
+
+  ASSERT_FALSE(IsAnimatorRunning(shell.get()));
+
+  // teardown.
+  DestroyShell(std::move(shell), std::move(task_runners));
+  ASSERT_FALSE(DartVMRef::IsInstanceRunning());
+}
+
 }  // namespace testing
 }  // namespace flutter
diff --git a/shell/common/engine.cc b/shell/common/engine.cc
index 28321a9fd166c..8f0a4503e0a49 100644
--- a/shell/common/engine.cc
+++ b/shell/common/engine.cc
@@ -265,7 +265,6 @@ tonic::DartErrorHandleType Engine::GetUIIsolateLastError() {
 
 void Engine::OnOutputSurfaceCreated() {
   have_surface_ = true;
-  StartAnimatorIfPossible();
   ScheduleFrame();
 }
 
@@ -465,6 +464,7 @@ std::string Engine::DefaultRouteName() {
 }
 
 void Engine::ScheduleFrame(bool regenerate_layer_tree) {
+  StartAnimatorIfPossible();
   animator_->RequestFrame(regenerate_layer_tree);
 }
 
diff --git a/shell/common/shell_test.cc b/shell/common/shell_test.cc
index 3e55654a19c88..b5cc9c8e3ae52 100644
--- a/shell/common/shell_test.cc
+++ b/shell/common/shell_test.cc
@@ -381,5 +381,22 @@ void ShellTest::DestroyShell(std::unique_ptr<Shell> shell,
   latch.Wait();
 }
 
+bool ShellTest::IsAnimatorRunning(Shell* shell) {
+  fml::AutoResetWaitableEvent latch;
+  bool running = false;
+  if (!shell) {
+    return running;
+  }
+  fml::TaskRunner::RunNowOrPostTask(
+      shell->GetTaskRunners().GetUITaskRunner(), [shell, &running, &latch]() {
+        if (shell && shell->engine_ && shell->engine_->animator_) {
+          running = !shell->engine_->animator_->paused_;
+        }
+        latch.Signal();
+      });
+  latch.Wait();
+  return running;
+}
+
 }  // namespace testing
 }  // namespace flutter
diff --git a/shell/common/shell_test.h b/shell/common/shell_test.h
index b2f1052fa98e1..1524c150e377a 100644
--- a/shell/common/shell_test.h
+++ b/shell/common/shell_test.h
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ class ShellTest : public FixtureTest {
                                    const SkData& key,
                                    const SkData& value);
 
+  static bool IsAnimatorRunning(Shell* shell);
+
   enum ServiceProtocolEnum {
     kGetSkSLs,
     kEstimateRasterCacheMemory,