diff --git a/drivers/clocksource/sun4i_timer.c b/drivers/clocksource/sun4i_timer.c
index efb17c3ee120..f4a9c0058b4d 100644
--- a/drivers/clocksource/sun4i_timer.c
+++ b/drivers/clocksource/sun4i_timer.c
@@ -182,6 +182,12 @@ static void __init sun4i_timer_init(struct device_node *node)
 	/* Make sure timer is stopped before playing with interrupts */
 	sun4i_clkevt_time_stop(0);
 
+	sun4i_clockevent.cpumask = cpu_possible_mask;
+	sun4i_clockevent.irq = irq;
+
+	clockevents_config_and_register(&sun4i_clockevent, rate,
+					TIMER_SYNC_TICKS, 0xffffffff);
+
 	ret = setup_irq(irq, &sun4i_timer_irq);
 	if (ret)
 		pr_warn("failed to setup irq %d\n", irq);
@@ -189,12 +195,6 @@ static void __init sun4i_timer_init(struct device_node *node)
 	/* Enable timer0 interrupt */
 	val = readl(timer_base + TIMER_IRQ_EN_REG);
 	writel(val | TIMER_IRQ_EN(0), timer_base + TIMER_IRQ_EN_REG);
-
-	sun4i_clockevent.cpumask = cpu_possible_mask;
-	sun4i_clockevent.irq = irq;
-
-	clockevents_config_and_register(&sun4i_clockevent, rate,
-					TIMER_SYNC_TICKS, 0xffffffff);
 }
 CLOCKSOURCE_OF_DECLARE(sun4i, "allwinner,sun4i-a10-timer",
 		       sun4i_timer_init);