diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_main.c b/bgpd/bgp_main.c
index 0f1d482..5abc875 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_main.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_main.c
@@ -441,6 +441,12 @@
   if(dryrun)
     return(0);
   
+  if (bgp_socket_init ())
+    {
+      zlog_err ("BGP socket creation failed");
+      return 1;
+    }
+  
   /* Turn into daemon if daemon_mode is set. */
   if (daemon_mode && daemon (0, 0) < 0)
     {
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.c b/bgpd/bgpd.c
index 9c8eda8..ab27783 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.c
@@ -2055,13 +2055,6 @@
   bgp_router_id_set(bgp, &router_id_zebra);
   *bgp_val = bgp;
 
-  /* Create BGP server socket, if first instance.  */
-  if (list_isempty(bm->bgp))
-    {
-      if (bgp_socket (bm->port, bm->address) < 0)
-	return BGP_ERR_INVALID_VALUE;
-    }
-
   listnode_add (bm->bgp, bgp);
 
   return 0;
@@ -5341,6 +5334,15 @@
 }
 
 
+int
+bgp_socket_init (void)
+{
+  /* Create BGP server socket */
+  if (bgp_socket (bm->port, bm->address) < 0)
+    return BGP_ERR_INVALID_VALUE;
+  return 0;
+}
+
 void
 bgp_init (void)
 {
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.h b/bgpd/bgpd.h
index 09a3435..d1e4f8e 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.h
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.h
@@ -844,6 +844,7 @@
 extern void bgp_master_init (void);
 
 extern void bgp_init (void);
+extern int bgp_socket_init (void);
 extern void bgp_route_map_init (void);
 
 extern int bgp_option_set (int);