diff --git a/tests/driver_cc2538_rf/main.c b/tests/driver_cc2538_rf/main.c
index aa85f91c713f..bc9bc6f10475 100644
--- a/tests/driver_cc2538_rf/main.c
+++ b/tests/driver_cc2538_rf/main.c
@@ -36,13 +36,13 @@ int netdev_ieee802154_minimal_init_devs(netdev_event_cb_t cb) {
     netdev_register(netdev, NETDEV_CC2538, 0);
     netdev_ieee802154_submac_init(&cc2538_rf);
 
+    /* set the application-provided callback */
+    netdev->event_callback = cb;
+
     /* setup and initialize the specific driver */
     cc2538_rf_hal_setup(&cc2538_rf.submac.dev);
     cc2538_init();
 
-    /* set the application-provided callback */
-    netdev->event_callback = cb;
-
     /* initialize the device driver */
     int res = netdev->driver->init(netdev);
     if (res != 0) {
diff --git a/tests/driver_nrf802154/main.c b/tests/driver_nrf802154/main.c
index 9c0bc7555a7c..32a3f4f9c8ce 100644
--- a/tests/driver_nrf802154/main.c
+++ b/tests/driver_nrf802154/main.c
@@ -36,13 +36,13 @@ int netdev_ieee802154_minimal_init_devs(netdev_event_cb_t cb) {
     netdev_register(netdev, NETDEV_CC2538, 0);
     netdev_ieee802154_submac_init(&nrf802154);
 
+    /* set the application-provided callback */
+    netdev->event_callback = cb;
+
     /* setup and initialize the specific driver */
     nrf802154_hal_setup(&nrf802154.submac.dev);
     nrf802154_init();
 
-    /* set the application-provided callback */
-    netdev->event_callback = cb;
-
     /* initialize the device driver */
     int res = netdev->driver->init(netdev);
     if (res != 0) {
diff --git a/tests/driver_sx126x/main.c b/tests/driver_sx126x/main.c
index 104905e48022..038aa86fff7b 100644
--- a/tests/driver_sx126x/main.c
+++ b/tests/driver_sx126x/main.c
@@ -325,13 +325,13 @@ int main(void)
 
     netdev->driver = &sx126x_driver;
 
+    netdev->event_callback = _event_cb;
+
     if (netdev->driver->init(netdev) < 0) {
         puts("Failed to initialize SX126X device, exiting");
         return 1;
     }
 
-    netdev->event_callback = _event_cb;
-
     _recv_pid = thread_create(stack, sizeof(stack), THREAD_PRIORITY_MAIN - 1,
                               THREAD_CREATE_STACKTEST, _recv_thread, netdev,
                               "recv_thread");
diff --git a/tests/driver_sx127x/main.c b/tests/driver_sx127x/main.c
index 6a78db0f1a6a..13f3d8a3543c 100644
--- a/tests/driver_sx127x/main.c
+++ b/tests/driver_sx127x/main.c
@@ -545,13 +545,13 @@ int main(void)
 
     netdev->driver = &sx127x_driver;
 
+    netdev->event_callback = _event_cb;
+
     if (netdev->driver->init(netdev) < 0) {
         puts("Failed to initialize SX127x device, exiting");
         return 1;
     }
 
-    netdev->event_callback = _event_cb;
-
     _recv_pid = thread_create(stack, sizeof(stack), THREAD_PRIORITY_MAIN - 1,
                               THREAD_CREATE_STACKTEST, _recv_thread, NULL,
                               "recv_thread");
diff --git a/tests/driver_sx1280/main.c b/tests/driver_sx1280/main.c
index e55266186b57..b49f24f85877 100644
--- a/tests/driver_sx1280/main.c
+++ b/tests/driver_sx1280/main.c
@@ -355,13 +355,13 @@ int main(void)
 
     netdev->driver = &sx1280_driver;
 
+    netdev->event_callback = _event_cb;
+
     if (netdev->driver->init(netdev) < 0) {
         puts("Failed to initialize SX1280 device, exiting");
         return 1;
     }
 
-    netdev->event_callback = _event_cb;
-
     _recv_pid = thread_create(stack, sizeof(stack), THREAD_PRIORITY_MAIN - 1,
                               THREAD_CREATE_STACKTEST, _recv_thread, netdev,
                               "recv_thread");
diff --git a/tests/socket_zep/main.c b/tests/socket_zep/main.c
index 284979cec401..598a2a3f6432 100644
--- a/tests/socket_zep/main.c
+++ b/tests/socket_zep/main.c
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ static void test_init(void)
     printf("Initializing socket ZEP with (local: [%s]:%s, remote: [%s]:%s)\n",
            p->local_addr, p->local_port, p->remote_addr, p->remote_port);
     netdev_register(&_socket_zep_netdev.dev.netdev, NETDEV_SOCKET_ZEP, 0);
+    netdev->event_callback = _event_cb;
     netdev_ieee802154_submac_init(&_socket_zep_netdev);
     socket_zep_hal_setup(&_dev, &_socket_zep_netdev.submac.dev);
     socket_zep_setup(&_dev, p);
-    netdev->event_callback = _event_cb;
     expect(netdev->driver->init(netdev) >= 0);
     _print_info(netdev);
 }