diff --git a/state.py b/state.py
index 8d33898..d80a954 100644
--- a/state.py
+++ b/state.py
@@ -37,7 +37,12 @@ class State(object):
         if name in ("initialize", "deinitialize", "is_initialized", "__dict__", "__class__"):
             return object.__getattribute__(self, name)
 
-        if not self.is_initialized:
+        if not object.__getattribute__(self, "is_initialized"):
+            # Special case for the exit_event: if the event is set, return it without an error
+            if name == "exit_event":
+                exit_event = object.__getattribute__(self, "exit_event")
+                if exit_event and exit_event.is_set(): return exit_event
+
             raise RuntimeError("State must be initialized before accessing '%s'" % name)
 
         return object.__getattribute__(self, name)