diff --git a/package/relayd/files/relay.init b/package/relayd/files/relay.init
index 314f65baf5..307fbf2baf 100644
--- a/package/relayd/files/relay.init
+++ b/package/relayd/files/relay.init
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ resolve_ifname() {
 
 resolve_network() {
 	local ifn
+	fixup_interface "$1"
 	config_get ifn "$1" ifname
 	[ -z "$ifn" ] && return 1
 	resolve_ifname "$ifn"
@@ -26,8 +27,6 @@ start_relay() {
 	config_get proto "$cfg" proto
 	[[ "$proto" == relay ]] || return 0
 
-	fixup_interface "$cfg"
-
 	SERVICE_DAEMONIZE=1
 	SERVICE_WRITE_PID=1
 	SERVICE_PID_FILE="/var/run/relay-$cfg.pid"