diff --git a/src/api/tcpip.c b/src/api/tcpip.c
index 608ba607..c192a0fb 100644
--- a/src/api/tcpip.c
+++ b/src/api/tcpip.c
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ tcpip_thread(void *arg)
 
   LWIP_MARK_TCPIP_THREAD();
 
+  LOCK_TCPIP_CORE();
   if (tcpip_init_done != NULL) {
     tcpip_init_done(tcpip_init_done_arg);
   }
 
-  LOCK_TCPIP_CORE();
   while (1) {                          /* MAIN Loop */
     LWIP_TCPIP_THREAD_ALIVE();
     /* wait for a message, timeouts are processed while waiting */