diff --git a/nest/proto.c b/nest/proto.c
index d6d5d77b..f04b5a6c 100644
--- a/nest/proto.c
+++ b/nest/proto.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ list active_proto_list;
 static list inactive_proto_list;
 static list initial_proto_list;
 static list flush_proto_list;
+static struct proto *initial_device_proto;
 
 static event *proto_flush_event;
 
@@ -248,6 +249,8 @@ protos_postconfig(struct config *c)
   DBG("\n");
 }
 
+extern struct protocol proto_unix_iface;
+
 static struct proto *
 proto_init(struct proto_config *c)
 {
@@ -257,6 +260,9 @@ proto_init(struct proto_config *c)
   q->proto_state = PS_DOWN;
   q->core_state = FS_HUNGRY;
   proto_enqueue(&initial_proto_list, q);
+  if (p == &proto_unix_iface)
+    initial_device_proto = q;
+
   add_tail(&proto_list, &q->glob_node);
   PD(q, "Initializing%s", q->disabled ? " [disabled]" : "");
   return q;
@@ -413,6 +419,14 @@ protos_commit(struct config *new, struct config *old, int force_reconfig, int ty
   DBG("\tdone\n");
 
   DBG("Protocol start\n");
+
+  /* Start device protocol first */
+  if (initial_device_proto)
+  {
+    proto_rethink_goal(initial_device_proto);
+    initial_device_proto = NULL;
+  }
+
   WALK_LIST_DELSAFE(p, n, initial_proto_list)
     proto_rethink_goal(p);
 }
@@ -741,8 +755,6 @@ proto_notify_state(struct proto *p, unsigned ps)
     }
 }
 
-extern struct protocol proto_unix_iface;
-
 static void
 proto_flush_all(void *unused UNUSED)
 {
diff --git a/proto/bgp/bgp.c b/proto/bgp/bgp.c
index 327292a3..9c069b45 100644
--- a/proto/bgp/bgp.c
+++ b/proto/bgp/bgp.c
@@ -798,6 +798,10 @@ bgp_start(struct proto *P)
   p->startup_timer->hook = bgp_startup_timeout;
   p->startup_timer->data = p;
 
+  p->local_id = proto_get_router_id(P->cf);
+  if (p->rr_client)
+    p->rr_cluster_id = p->cf->rr_cluster_id ? p->cf->rr_cluster_id : p->local_id;
+
   p->remote_id = 0;
   p->source_addr = p->cf->source_addr;
 
@@ -874,11 +878,8 @@ bgp_init(struct proto_config *C)
   p->local_as = c->local_as;
   p->remote_as = c->remote_as;
   p->is_internal = (c->local_as == c->remote_as);
-  p->local_id = proto_get_router_id(C);
   p->rs_client = c->rs_client;
   p->rr_client = c->rr_client;
-  if (p->rr_client)
-    p->rr_cluster_id = c->rr_cluster_id ? c->rr_cluster_id : p->local_id;
   p->igp_table = get_igp_table(c);
 
   return P;