diff --git a/coil-core/src/androidMain/kotlin/coil3/request/RequestDelegate.android.kt b/coil-core/src/androidMain/kotlin/coil3/request/RequestDelegate.android.kt
index ce8b3527f..b095b420a 100644
--- a/coil-core/src/androidMain/kotlin/coil3/request/RequestDelegate.android.kt
+++ b/coil-core/src/androidMain/kotlin/coil3/request/RequestDelegate.android.kt
@@ -52,14 +52,14 @@ internal class ViewTargetRequestDelegate(
         imageLoader.enqueue(initialRequest)
     }
 
-    override fun assertActive() {
+    override fun start() {
+        // Cancel the request before starting if the view is not attached.
+        // It will be restarted automatically when the view is attached.
         if (!target.view.isAttachedToWindow) {
             target.view.requestManager.setRequest(this)
             throw CancellationException("'ViewTarget.view' must be attached to a window.")
         }
-    }
 
-    override fun start() {
         lifecycle?.addObserver(this)
         if (target is LifecycleObserver) {
             lifecycle?.removeAndAddObserver(target)
diff --git a/coil-core/src/commonMain/kotlin/coil3/RealImageLoader.kt b/coil-core/src/commonMain/kotlin/coil3/RealImageLoader.kt
index 7a6e157b7..aca0ebcb3 100644
--- a/coil-core/src/commonMain/kotlin/coil3/RealImageLoader.kt
+++ b/coil-core/src/commonMain/kotlin/coil3/RealImageLoader.kt
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ internal class RealImageLoader(
             request = initialRequest,
             job = coroutineContext.job,
             findLifecycle = type == REQUEST_TYPE_ENQUEUE,
-        ).apply { assertActive() }
+        )
 
         // Apply this image loader's defaults and other configuration to this request.
         val request = requestService.updateRequest(initialRequest)
diff --git a/coil-core/src/commonMain/kotlin/coil3/request/RequestDelegate.kt b/coil-core/src/commonMain/kotlin/coil3/request/RequestDelegate.kt
index 0e1696ad5..b4d02fc1d 100644
--- a/coil-core/src/commonMain/kotlin/coil3/request/RequestDelegate.kt
+++ b/coil-core/src/commonMain/kotlin/coil3/request/RequestDelegate.kt
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
 package coil3.request
 
 import kotlin.jvm.JvmInline
-import kotlinx.coroutines.CancellationException
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Job
 
 internal interface RequestDelegate {
 
-    /** Throw a [CancellationException] if this request should be cancelled before starting. */
-    fun assertActive() {}
-
     /** Register all lifecycle observers. */
     fun start() {}