diff --git a/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp_impl.h b/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp_impl.h
index 1b27415f..8c60fef9 100644
--- a/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp_impl.h
+++ b/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp_impl.h
@@ -394,9 +394,6 @@ int ppp_init(void);
 ppp_pcb *ppp_new(struct netif *pppif, const struct link_callbacks *callbacks, void *link_ctx_cb,
                  ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb);
 
-/* Called when link is starting */
-void ppp_link_start(ppp_pcb *pcb);
-
 /* Initiate LCP open request */
 void ppp_start(ppp_pcb *pcb);
 
diff --git a/src/netif/ppp/ppp.c b/src/netif/ppp/ppp.c
index 96bcd8b1..02b90f25 100644
--- a/src/netif/ppp/ppp.c
+++ b/src/netif/ppp/ppp.c
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ err_t ppp_connect(ppp_pcb *pcb, u16_t holdoff) {
   PPPDEBUG(LOG_DEBUG, ("ppp_connect[%d]: holdoff=%d\n", pcb->netif->num, holdoff));
 
   if (holdoff == 0) {
+    new_phase(pcb, PPP_PHASE_INITIALIZE);
     return pcb->link_cb->connect(pcb, pcb->link_ctx_cb);
   }
 
@@ -301,6 +302,7 @@ err_t ppp_listen(ppp_pcb *pcb) {
   PPPDEBUG(LOG_DEBUG, ("ppp_listen[%d]\n", pcb->netif->num));
 
   if (pcb->link_cb->listen) {
+    new_phase(pcb, PPP_PHASE_INITIALIZE);
     return pcb->link_cb->listen(pcb, pcb->link_ctx_cb);
   }
   return ERR_IF;
@@ -432,6 +434,7 @@ static void ppp_do_connect(void *arg) {
 
   LWIP_ASSERT("pcb->phase == PPP_PHASE_DEAD || pcb->phase == PPP_PHASE_HOLDOFF", pcb->phase == PPP_PHASE_DEAD || pcb->phase == PPP_PHASE_HOLDOFF);
 
+  new_phase(pcb, PPP_PHASE_INITIALIZE);
   pcb->link_cb->connect(pcb, pcb->link_ctx_cb);
 }
 
@@ -705,13 +708,6 @@ ppp_pcb *ppp_new(struct netif *pppif, const struct link_callbacks *callbacks, vo
   return pcb;
 }
 
-/** Called when link is starting */
-void ppp_link_start(ppp_pcb *pcb) {
-  LWIP_ASSERT("pcb->phase == PPP_PHASE_DEAD || pcb->phase == PPP_PHASE_HOLDOFF", pcb->phase == PPP_PHASE_DEAD || pcb->phase == PPP_PHASE_HOLDOFF);
-  PPPDEBUG(LOG_DEBUG, ("ppp_link_start[%d]\n", pcb->netif->num));
-  new_phase(pcb, PPP_PHASE_INITIALIZE);
-}
-
 /** Initiate LCP open request */
 void ppp_start(ppp_pcb *pcb) {
   PPPDEBUG(LOG_DEBUG, ("ppp_start[%d]\n", pcb->netif->num));
diff --git a/src/netif/ppp/pppoe.c b/src/netif/ppp/pppoe.c
index 26220ffe..d3b6c9cf 100644
--- a/src/netif/ppp/pppoe.c
+++ b/src/netif/ppp/pppoe.c
@@ -912,8 +912,6 @@ pppoe_connect(ppp_pcb *ppp, void *ctx)
   }
 #endif
 
-  ppp_link_start(ppp);
-
   lcp_wo = &ppp->lcp_wantoptions;
   lcp_wo->mru = sc->sc_ethif->mtu-PPPOE_HEADERLEN-2; /* two byte PPP protocol discriminator, then IP data */
   lcp_wo->neg_asyncmap = 0;
diff --git a/src/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.c b/src/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.c
index 877f84dc..3a681254 100644
--- a/src/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.c
+++ b/src/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.c
@@ -264,8 +264,6 @@ static err_t pppol2tp_connect(ppp_pcb *ppp, void *ctx) {
 
   pppol2tp_clear(l2tp);
 
-  ppp_link_start(ppp);
-
   lcp_wo = &ppp->lcp_wantoptions;
   lcp_wo->mru = PPPOL2TP_DEFMRU;
   lcp_wo->neg_asyncmap = 0;
diff --git a/src/netif/ppp/pppos.c b/src/netif/ppp/pppos.c
index 006971d9..69ed80e9 100644
--- a/src/netif/ppp/pppos.c
+++ b/src/netif/ppp/pppos.c
@@ -309,7 +309,6 @@ pppos_connect(ppp_pcb *ppp, void *ctx)
   pppos_input_free_current_packet(pppos);
 #endif /* PPP_INPROC_IRQ_SAFE */
 
-  ppp_link_start(ppp);
   /* reset PPPoS control block to its initial state */
   memset(&pppos->last_xmit, 0, sizeof(pppos_pcb) - offsetof(pppos_pcb, last_xmit));
 
@@ -343,7 +342,6 @@ pppos_listen(ppp_pcb *ppp, void *ctx)
   pppos_input_free_current_packet(pppos);
 #endif /* PPP_INPROC_IRQ_SAFE */
 
-  ppp_link_start(ppp);
   /* reset PPPoS control block to its initial state */
   memset(&pppos->last_xmit, 0, sizeof(pppos_pcb) - offsetof(pppos_pcb, last_xmit));