diff --git a/net.c b/net.c
index 35aeb1ece2..bb9ea6e7cf 100644
--- a/net.c
+++ b/net.c
@@ -622,6 +622,8 @@ static void tap_send(void *opaque)
 
 /* fd support */
 
+void enable_sigio_timer(int fd);
+
 static TAPState *net_tap_fd_init(VLANState *vlan, int fd)
 {
     TAPState *s;
@@ -630,6 +632,7 @@ static TAPState *net_tap_fd_init(VLANState *vlan, int fd)
     if (!s)
         return NULL;
     s->fd = fd;
+    enable_sigio_timer(fd);
     s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(vlan, tap_receive, NULL, s);
     qemu_set_fd_handler(s->fd, tap_send, NULL, s);
     snprintf(s->vc->info_str, sizeof(s->vc->info_str), "tap: fd=%d", fd);
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 7bcffd334a..24c9c32c12 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -1403,7 +1403,7 @@ static int fcntl_setfl(int fd, int flag)
 
 #define RTC_FREQ 1024
 
-static void enable_sigio_timer(int fd)
+void enable_sigio_timer(int fd)
 {
     struct sigaction act;