diff --git a/src/Mysqldump.php b/src/Mysqldump.php
index 22fbe03a..89f5bb6e 100644
--- a/src/Mysqldump.php
+++ b/src/Mysqldump.php
@@ -193,6 +193,12 @@ public function start(?string $filename = '')
             $this->write($this->getDumpFileHeader());
         }
 
+        // Initiate a transaction at global level to create a consistent snapshot.
+        if ($this->settings->isEnabled('single-transaction')) {
+            $this->conn->exec($this->db->setupTransaction());
+            $this->conn->exec($this->db->startTransaction());
+        }
+
         // Store server settings and use saner defaults to dump
         $this->write($this->db->backupParameters());
 
@@ -234,6 +240,11 @@ public function start(?string $filename = '')
         // Restore saved parameters.
         $this->write($this->db->restoreParameters());
 
+        // End transaction.
+        if ($this->settings->isEnabled('single-transaction')) {
+            $this->conn->exec($this->db->commitTransaction());
+        }
+
         // Write some stats to output file.
         if (!$this->settings->skipComments()) {
             $this->write($this->getDumpFileFooter());
@@ -887,11 +898,6 @@ private function prepareListValues(string $tableName)
             );
         }
 
-        if ($this->settings->isEnabled('single-transaction')) {
-            $this->conn->exec($this->db->setupTransaction());
-            $this->conn->exec($this->db->startTransaction());
-        }
-
         if ($this->settings->isEnabled('lock-tables') && !$this->settings->isEnabled('single-transaction')) {
             $this->db->lockTable($tableName);
         }
@@ -926,10 +932,6 @@ private function endListValues(string $tableName, int $count = 0)
             $this->write($this->db->endAddLockTable($tableName));
         }
 
-        if ($this->settings->isEnabled('single-transaction')) {
-            $this->conn->exec($this->db->commitTransaction());
-        }
-
         if ($this->settings->isEnabled('lock-tables')
             && !$this->settings->isEnabled('single-transaction')) {
             $this->db->unlockTable($tableName);