diff --git a/echoc.c b/echoc.c
index 2e99be1..eaed4e5 100644
--- a/echoc.c
+++ b/echoc.c
@@ -174,6 +174,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (setsockopt(sock, IPPROTO_IP, IP_MTU_DISCOVER, &ch, sizeof(ch)) < 0)
 		err(2, "setsockopt IP_MTU_DISCOVER");
 #endif
+	signal(SIGALRM, send_packet);
+
 	/* timer values */
 	itv.it_interval.tv_usec = interval*1000;
 	itv.it_interval.tv_sec = 0;
@@ -182,8 +184,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (setitimer(ITIMER_REAL, &itv, NULL) == -1)
 		err(2, "setitimer");
 
-	signal(SIGALRM, send_packet);
-
 	gettimeofday(&last_ts, NULL);
 
 	while (1) {