diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/ConnectivityService.java b/services/java/com/android/server/ConnectivityService.java
index d2fd04bf0fe44..9158d9e1f4fad 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/ConnectivityService.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/ConnectivityService.java
@@ -441,6 +441,12 @@ public class ConnectivityService extends IConnectivityManager.Stub {
                                   mTethering.getTetherableBluetoothRegexs().length != 0) &&
                                  mTethering.getUpstreamIfaceRegexs().length != 0);
 
+        try {
+            nmService.registerObserver(mTethering);
+        } catch (RemoteException e) {
+            loge("Error registering observer :" + e);
+        }
+
         if (DBG) {
             mInetLog = new ArrayList();
         }
diff --git a/services/java/com/android/server/connectivity/Tethering.java b/services/java/com/android/server/connectivity/Tethering.java
index e8155b4804447..fcf23564f169e 100644
--- a/services/java/com/android/server/connectivity/Tethering.java
+++ b/services/java/com/android/server/connectivity/Tethering.java
@@ -129,13 +129,6 @@ public class Tethering extends INetworkManagementEventObserver.Stub {
         mNMService = nmService;
         mLooper = looper;
 
-        // register for notifications from NetworkManagement Service
-        try {
-            mNMService.registerObserver(this);
-        } catch (RemoteException e) {
-            Log.e(TAG, "Error registering observer :" + e);
-        }
-
         mIfaces = new HashMap<String, TetherInterfaceSM>();
 
         // make our own thread so we don't anr the system