diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
index 63214c5676..2bf57130be 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
@@ -2609,6 +2609,9 @@ static void bgp_zebra_connected(struct zclient *zclient)
 
 	zclient_num_connects++; /* increment even if not responding */
 
+	/* Send the client registration */
+	bfd_client_sendmsg(zclient, ZEBRA_BFD_CLIENT_REGISTER, VRF_DEFAULT);
+
 	/* At this point, we may or may not have BGP instances configured, but
 	 * we're only interested in the default VRF (others wouldn't have learnt
 	 * the VRF from Zebra yet.)
@@ -2619,9 +2622,6 @@ static void bgp_zebra_connected(struct zclient *zclient)
 
 	bgp_zebra_instance_register(bgp);
 
-	/* Send the client registration */
-	bfd_client_sendmsg(zclient, ZEBRA_BFD_CLIENT_REGISTER, bgp->vrf_id);
-
 	/* tell label pool that zebra is connected */
 	bgp_lp_event_zebra_up();