diff --git a/networking/ntpd.c b/networking/ntpd.c
index 98158a304..8e7175063 100644
--- a/networking/ntpd.c
+++ b/networking/ntpd.c
@@ -2213,6 +2213,31 @@ static NOINLINE void ntp_init(char **argv)
 
 //	if (opts & OPT_x) /* disable stepping, only slew is allowed */
 //		G.time_was_stepped = 1;
+
+#if ENABLE_FEATURE_NTPD_SERVER
+	G_listen_fd = -1;
+	if (opts & OPT_l) {
+		G_listen_fd = create_and_bind_dgram_or_die(NULL, 123);
+		if (G.if_name) {
+			if (setsockopt_bindtodevice(G_listen_fd, G.if_name))
+				xfunc_die();
+		}
+		socket_want_pktinfo(G_listen_fd);
+		setsockopt_int(G_listen_fd, IPPROTO_IP, IP_TOS, IPTOS_LOWDELAY);
+	}
+#endif
+	/* I hesitate to set -20 prio. -15 should be high enough for timekeeping */
+	if (opts & OPT_N)
+		setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, -15);
+
+	/* add_peers() calls can retry DNS resolution (possibly forever).
+	 * Daemonize before them, or else boot can stall forever.
+	 */
+	if (!(opts & OPT_n)) {
+		bb_daemonize_or_rexec(DAEMON_DEVNULL_STDIO, argv);
+		logmode = LOGMODE_NONE;
+	}
+
 	if (peers) {
 		while (peers)
 			add_peers(llist_pop(&peers));
@@ -2241,26 +2266,6 @@ static NOINLINE void ntp_init(char **argv)
 		/* -l but no peers: "stratum 1 server" mode */
 		G.stratum = 1;
 	}
-#if ENABLE_FEATURE_NTPD_SERVER
-	G_listen_fd = -1;
-	if (opts & OPT_l) {
-		G_listen_fd = create_and_bind_dgram_or_die(NULL, 123);
-		if (opts & OPT_I) {
-			if (setsockopt_bindtodevice(G_listen_fd, G.if_name))
-				xfunc_die();
-		}
-		socket_want_pktinfo(G_listen_fd);
-		setsockopt_int(G_listen_fd, IPPROTO_IP, IP_TOS, IPTOS_LOWDELAY);
-	}
-#endif
-	if (!(opts & OPT_n)) {
-		bb_daemonize_or_rexec(DAEMON_DEVNULL_STDIO, argv);
-		logmode = LOGMODE_NONE;
-	}
-	/* I hesitate to set -20 prio. -15 should be high enough for timekeeping */
-	if (opts & OPT_N)
-		setpriority(PRIO_PROCESS, 0, -15);
-
 	/* If network is up, syncronization occurs in ~10 seconds.
 	 * We give "ntpd -q" 10 seconds to get first reply,
 	 * then another 50 seconds to finish syncing.