diff --git a/hw/timer/lm32_timer.c b/hw/timer/lm32_timer.c
index ac3edaff4f..cf316edb7f 100644
--- a/hw/timer/lm32_timer.c
+++ b/hw/timer/lm32_timer.c
@@ -186,9 +186,6 @@ static void lm32_timer_init(Object *obj)
 
     sysbus_init_irq(dev, &s->irq);
 
-    s->bh = qemu_bh_new(timer_hit, s);
-    s->ptimer = ptimer_init(s->bh, PTIMER_POLICY_DEFAULT);
-
     memory_region_init_io(&s->iomem, obj, &timer_ops, s,
                           "timer", R_MAX * 4);
     sysbus_init_mmio(dev, &s->iomem);
@@ -198,6 +195,9 @@ static void lm32_timer_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
     LM32TimerState *s = LM32_TIMER(dev);
 
+    s->bh = qemu_bh_new(timer_hit, s);
+    s->ptimer = ptimer_init(s->bh, PTIMER_POLICY_DEFAULT);
+
     ptimer_set_freq(s->ptimer, s->freq_hz);
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/timer/milkymist-sysctl.c b/hw/timer/milkymist-sysctl.c
index 958350767a..6aedc11bef 100644
--- a/hw/timer/milkymist-sysctl.c
+++ b/hw/timer/milkymist-sysctl.c
@@ -283,11 +283,6 @@ static void milkymist_sysctl_init(Object *obj)
     sysbus_init_irq(dev, &s->timer0_irq);
     sysbus_init_irq(dev, &s->timer1_irq);
 
-    s->bh0 = qemu_bh_new(timer0_hit, s);
-    s->bh1 = qemu_bh_new(timer1_hit, s);
-    s->ptimer0 = ptimer_init(s->bh0, PTIMER_POLICY_DEFAULT);
-    s->ptimer1 = ptimer_init(s->bh1, PTIMER_POLICY_DEFAULT);
-
     memory_region_init_io(&s->regs_region, obj, &sysctl_mmio_ops, s,
             "milkymist-sysctl", R_MAX * 4);
     sysbus_init_mmio(dev, &s->regs_region);
@@ -297,6 +292,11 @@ static void milkymist_sysctl_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
 {
     MilkymistSysctlState *s = MILKYMIST_SYSCTL(dev);
 
+    s->bh0 = qemu_bh_new(timer0_hit, s);
+    s->bh1 = qemu_bh_new(timer1_hit, s);
+    s->ptimer0 = ptimer_init(s->bh0, PTIMER_POLICY_DEFAULT);
+    s->ptimer1 = ptimer_init(s->bh1, PTIMER_POLICY_DEFAULT);
+
     ptimer_set_freq(s->ptimer0, s->freq_hz);
     ptimer_set_freq(s->ptimer1, s->freq_hz);
 }