diff --git a/main/esp32-wifi-manager.c b/main/esp32-wifi-manager.c
index d5c409a..ac059d1 100644
--- a/main/esp32-wifi-manager.c
+++ b/main/esp32-wifi-manager.c
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ void wifi_manager_load_config() {
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "load_config found %d APs", ap_store.count);
 };
 
-void wifi_manager_start() {
+EventGroupHandle_t wifi_manager_start() {
   ESP_ERROR_CHECK(nvs_open("wm-config", NVS_READWRITE, &nvs));
 
   wm_event_group = xEventGroupCreate();
@@ -198,4 +198,6 @@ void wifi_manager_start() {
   wifi_manager_load_config();
 
   xTaskCreate(&wifi_manager_main_loop, "wm_main_loop",  4096, NULL, 6, NULL);
+
+  return wm_event_group;
 };