diff --git a/sys/net/iflib.c b/sys/net/iflib.c
--- a/sys/net/iflib.c
+++ b/sys/net/iflib.c
@@ -5434,7 +5434,6 @@
 
 	DEBUGNET_SET(ctx->ifc_ifp, iflib);
 
-	if_setgetcounterfn(ctx->ifc_ifp, iflib_if_get_counter);
 	iflib_add_device_sysctl_post(ctx);
 	iflib_add_pfil(ctx);
 	ctx->ifc_flags |= IFC_INIT_DONE;
@@ -5789,6 +5788,7 @@
 	if_settransmitfn(ifp, iflib_if_transmit);
 #endif
 	if_setqflushfn(ifp, iflib_if_qflush);
+	if_setgetcounterfn(ifp, iflib_if_get_counter);
 	if_setflags(ifp, IFF_BROADCAST | IFF_SIMPLEX | IFF_MULTICAST);
 	ctx->ifc_vlan_attach_event =
 	    EVENTHANDLER_REGISTER(vlan_config, iflib_vlan_register, ctx,