--- gnome-session/main.c
+++ gnome-session/main.c
@@ -641,18 +641,6 @@
   gconf_client = gsm_get_conf_client ();
   gconf_client_add_dir (gconf_client, GSM_GCONF_CONFIG_PREFIX, GCONF_CLIENT_PRELOAD_ONELEVEL, NULL); 
 
-  env_a_t_support = g_getenv (ACCESSIBILITY_ENV);
-  if (env_a_t_support)
-    a_t_support = atoi (env_a_t_support);
-  else
-    a_t_support = gconf_client_get_bool (gconf_client, ACCESSIBILITY_KEY, NULL);
-
-  if (a_t_support)
-    {
-      gsm_assistive_registry_start ();
-      gsm_at_set_gtk_modules ();
-    }
-
   goption_context = g_option_context_new (N_("- Manage the GNOME session"));
   g_option_context_set_translation_domain (goption_context, GETTEXT_PACKAGE);
   g_option_context_add_main_entries (goption_context, options, GETTEXT_PACKAGE);
@@ -756,6 +744,18 @@
 
   gsm_motd_start ();
 
+  // move this down so the environments from above get set up
+  // correctly before assistive modules activate items
+  env_a_t_support = g_getenv (ACCESSIBILITY_ENV);
+  if (env_a_t_support)
+    a_t_support = atoi (env_a_t_support);
+
+  if (a_t_support)
+    {
+      gsm_assistive_registry_start ();
+      gsm_at_set_gtk_modules ();
+    }
+
   gtk_main ();
 
   gsm_motd_stop ();