diff --git a/Assets/Mirror/Components/NetworkTransform/NetworkTransformBase.cs b/Assets/Mirror/Components/NetworkTransform/NetworkTransformBase.cs
index efedbb672..a30f5d9c0 100644
--- a/Assets/Mirror/Components/NetworkTransform/NetworkTransformBase.cs
+++ b/Assets/Mirror/Components/NetworkTransform/NetworkTransformBase.cs
@@ -99,18 +99,9 @@ public abstract class NetworkTransformBase : NetworkBehaviour
         public Color overlayColor = new Color(0, 0, 0, 0.5f);
 
         // initialization //////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-        // make sure to call this when inheriting too!
-        protected virtual void Awake()
+        // forcec configuration of some settings
+        protected virtual void Configure()
         {
-            // set target to self if none yet.
-            // OnValidate() already does this, but sometimes OnValidate() doesn't run before launching a project.
-            if (target == null) target = transform;
-        }
-
-        protected override void OnValidate()
-        {
-            base.OnValidate();
-
             // set target to self if none yet
             if (target == null) target = transform;
 
@@ -126,6 +117,22 @@ protected override void OnValidate()
             if (coordinateSpace == CoordinateSpace.World) syncScale = false;
         }
 
+        // make sure to call this when inheriting too!
+        protected virtual void Awake()
+        {
+            // sometimes OnValidate() doesn't run before launching a project.
+            // need to guarantee configuration runs.
+            Configure();
+        }
+
+        protected override void OnValidate()
+        {
+            base.OnValidate();
+
+            // configure in awake
+            Configure();
+        }
+
         // snapshot functions //////////////////////////////////////////////////
         // get local/world position
         protected virtual Vector3 GetPosition() =>