diff --git a/libraries/Ethernet/src/ETH.cpp b/libraries/Ethernet/src/ETH.cpp
index eeda93e3201..81c9302839f 100644
--- a/libraries/Ethernet/src/ETH.cpp
+++ b/libraries/Ethernet/src/ETH.cpp
@@ -163,10 +163,6 @@ bool ETHClass::begin(eth_phy_type_t type, int32_t phy_addr, int mdc, int mdio, i
 
   Network.begin();
   _ethernets[_eth_index] = this;
-  if (_eth_ev_instance == NULL && esp_event_handler_instance_register(ETH_EVENT, ESP_EVENT_ANY_ID, &_eth_event_cb, NULL, &_eth_ev_instance)) {
-    log_e("event_handler_instance_register for ETH_EVENT Failed!");
-    return false;
-  }
 
   eth_esp32_emac_config_t mac_config = ETH_ESP32_EMAC_DEFAULT_CONFIG();
   mac_config.clock_config.rmii.clock_mode = (clock_mode) ? EMAC_CLK_OUT : EMAC_CLK_EXT_IN;
@@ -286,6 +282,11 @@ bool ETHClass::begin(eth_phy_type_t type, int32_t phy_addr, int mdc, int mdio, i
     return false;
   }
 
+  if (_eth_ev_instance == NULL && esp_event_handler_instance_register(ETH_EVENT, ESP_EVENT_ANY_ID, &_eth_event_cb, NULL, &_eth_ev_instance)) {
+    log_e("event_handler_instance_register for ETH_EVENT Failed!");
+    return false;
+  }
+
   /* attach to receive events */
   initNetif((Network_Interface_ID)(ESP_NETIF_ID_ETH + _eth_index));
 
@@ -550,10 +551,6 @@ bool ETHClass::beginSPI(
 
   Network.begin();
   _ethernets[_eth_index] = this;
-  if (_eth_ev_instance == NULL && esp_event_handler_instance_register(ETH_EVENT, ESP_EVENT_ANY_ID, &_eth_event_cb, NULL, &_eth_ev_instance)) {
-    log_e("event_handler_instance_register for ETH_EVENT Failed!");
-    return false;
-  }
 
   // Install GPIO ISR handler to be able to service SPI Eth modules interrupts
   ret = gpio_install_isr_service(0);
@@ -717,6 +714,11 @@ bool ETHClass::beginSPI(
     return false;
   }
 
+  if (_eth_ev_instance == NULL && esp_event_handler_instance_register(ETH_EVENT, ESP_EVENT_ANY_ID, &_eth_event_cb, NULL, &_eth_ev_instance)) {
+    log_e("event_handler_instance_register for ETH_EVENT Failed!");
+    return false;
+  }
+
   /* attach to receive events */
   initNetif((Network_Interface_ID)(ESP_NETIF_ID_ETH + _eth_index));