A system and method improves cold start performance of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) plant. The system includes one or more pumps configured to pump condensed fluid from points of natural accumulation of the condensed fluid within an ORC loop back into a corresponding low pressure liquid storage vessel shortly after shutting down the ORC plant to ensure the start-up routine works properly for the next ORC plant start event. One or more of the pumps can also be configured to pump fluid away from the ORC expansion machine(s) at any time prior to starting the ORC if the fluid is in a liquid phase.