diff --git a/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/lwip_stack.c b/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/lwip_stack.c
index b8764d7dd3..692316bcdd 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/lwip_stack.c
+++ b/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/lwip_stack.c
@@ -57,12 +57,8 @@ static struct lwip_socket {
     void *data;
 } lwip_arena[MEMP_NUM_NETCONN];
 
-static bool lwip_connected = false;
-
-static void mbed_lwip_arena_init(void)
-{
-    memset(lwip_arena, 0, sizeof lwip_arena);
-}
+static bool lwip_inited = false;
+static bool lwip_connected = true;
 
 static struct lwip_socket *mbed_lwip_arena_alloc(void)
 {
@@ -404,15 +400,14 @@ char *mbed_lwip_get_gateway(char *buf, nsapi_size_t buflen)
 #endif
 }
 
-nsapi_error_t mbed_lwip_init(emac_interface_t *emac)
+void mbed_lwip_init()
 {
 
     // Check if we've already brought up lwip
-    if (!mbed_lwip_get_mac_address()) {
-        // Seed lwip random
+    if (!lwip_inited) {
+	// Seed lwip random
         lwip_seed_random();
 
-        // Set up network
         // Initialise TCP sequence number
         uint32_t tcp_isn_secret[4];
         for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
@@ -421,12 +416,22 @@ nsapi_error_t mbed_lwip_init(emac_interface_t *emac)
         lwip_init_tcp_isn(0, (u8_t *) &tcp_isn_secret);
 
         sys_sem_new(&lwip_tcpip_inited, 0);
-        sys_sem_new(&lwip_netif_linked, 0);
-        sys_sem_new(&lwip_netif_has_addr, 0);
 
         tcpip_init(mbed_lwip_tcpip_init_irq, NULL);
         sys_arch_sem_wait(&lwip_tcpip_inited, 0);
 
+        lwip_inited = true;
+    }
+}
+
+nsapi_error_t mbed_lwip_emac_init(emac_interface_t *emac)
+{
+    // Check if we've already set up netif
+    if (!mbed_lwip_get_mac_address()) {
+        // Set up network     
+        sys_sem_new(&lwip_netif_linked, 0);
+        sys_sem_new(&lwip_netif_has_addr, 0);
+
         memset(&lwip_netif, 0, sizeof lwip_netif);
         if (!netif_add(&lwip_netif,
 #if LWIP_IPV4
@@ -457,13 +462,12 @@ nsapi_error_t mbed_lwip_bringup(bool dhcp, const char *ip, const char *netmask,
         return NSAPI_ERROR_PARAMETER;
     }
 
-    if(mbed_lwip_init(NULL) != NSAPI_ERROR_OK) {
+    mbed_lwip_init();
+
+    if (mbed_lwip_emac_init(NULL) != NSAPI_ERROR_OK) {
         return NSAPI_ERROR_DEVICE_ERROR;
     }
 
-    // Zero out socket set
-    mbed_lwip_arena_init();
-
 #if LWIP_IPV6
     netif_create_ip6_linklocal_address(&lwip_netif, 1/*from MAC*/);
 #if LWIP_IPV6_MLD
diff --git a/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/lwip_stack.h b/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/lwip_stack.h
index afbb8d2f5b..d91c73882e 100644
--- a/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/lwip_stack.h
+++ b/features/FEATURE_LWIP/lwip-interface/lwip_stack.h
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 // Access to lwip through the nsapi
-nsapi_error_t mbed_lwip_init(emac_interface_t *emac);
+void mbed_lwip_init();
+nsapi_error_t mbed_lwip_emac_init(emac_interface_t *emac);
 nsapi_error_t mbed_lwip_bringup(bool dhcp, const char *ip, const char *netmask, const char *gw);
 nsapi_error_t mbed_lwip_bringdown(void);