diff --git a/v/raft.c b/v/raft.c
index 4ea0b95df0..0caf4dfc20 100644
--- a/v/raft.c
+++ b/v/raft.c
@@ -1336,8 +1336,6 @@ _raft_foll_init(u2_raft* raf_u)
 
   //  Start the initial election timeout.
   {
-    uv_timer_init(u2L, &raf_u->tim_u);
-    raf_u->tim_u.data = raf_u;
     uv_timer_start(&raf_u->tim_u, _raft_time_cb, _raft_election_rand(), 0);
   }
 }
@@ -1359,6 +1357,10 @@ u2_raft_init()
 {
   u2_raft* raf_u = u2R;
 
+  //  Initialize timer -- used in both single and multi-instance mode, for different things.
+  uv_timer_init(u2L, &raf_u->tim_u);
+  raf_u->tim_u.data = raf_u;
+
   if ( 0 == u2_Host.ops_u.raf_c ) {
     _raft_lone_init(raf_u);
   }