diff --git a/internal/vppinit/links.go b/internal/vppinit/links.go
index a74205e0..79dd7321 100644
--- a/internal/vppinit/links.go
+++ b/internal/vppinit/links.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright (c) 2021 Nordix Foundation.
+// Copyright (c) 2021-2022 Nordix Foundation.
 //
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 //
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ func InitLinks(ctx context.Context, vppConn api.Connection, deviceNames map[stri
 		}
 
 		if !isTunnelLink(link, tunnelIP) {
-			err = createInterface(ctx, vppConn, link)
+			err = setupLinkVpp(ctx, vppConn, link)
 			if err != nil {
-				return errors.Errorf("error creating AF_PACKET for %s", device)
+				return errors.Wrapf(err, "error setting up device %s", device)
 			}
 		}
 		setPromiscHw(ctx, link)
@@ -71,33 +71,23 @@ func isTunnelLink(link netlink.Link, tunnelIP net.IP) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func createInterface(ctx context.Context, vppConn api.Connection, link netlink.Link) error {
-	now := time.Now()
+func setupLinkVpp(ctx context.Context, vppConn api.Connection, link netlink.Link) error {
 	swIfIndex, err := createAfPacket(ctx, vppConn, link)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	log.FromContext(ctx).
-		WithField("duration", time.Since(now)).
-		WithField("SwIfIndex", swIfIndex).
-		WithField("vppapi", "CreateAfPacket").Debug("completed")
 
-	now = time.Now()
-	if aclErr := denyAllACLToInterface(ctx, vppConn, swIfIndex); aclErr != nil {
-		return aclErr
+	if mtuErr := setMtu(ctx, vppConn, link, swIfIndex); err != nil {
+		return mtuErr
 	}
-	log.FromContext(ctx).
-		WithField("duration", time.Since(now)).
-		WithField("SwIfIndex", swIfIndex).
-		WithField("vppapi", "DenyAllACLToInterface").Debug("completed")
 
-	now = time.Now()
+	now := time.Now()
 	_, err = interfaces.NewServiceClient(vppConn).SwInterfaceSetFlags(ctx, &interfaces.SwInterfaceSetFlags{
 		SwIfIndex: swIfIndex,
 		Flags:     interface_types.IF_STATUS_API_FLAG_ADMIN_UP,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "unable to set interface amdin UP")
 	}
 	log.FromContext(ctx).
 		WithField("swIfIndex", swIfIndex).
diff --git a/internal/vppinit/vppinit.go b/internal/vppinit/vppinit.go
index aff5bcb8..11a99c1f 100644
--- a/internal/vppinit/vppinit.go
+++ b/internal/vppinit/vppinit.go
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ func LinkToAfPacket(ctx context.Context, vppConn api.Connection, tunnelIP net.IP
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if mtuErr := setMtu(ctx, vppConn, link, swIfIndex); err != nil {
+		return nil, mtuErr
+	}
+
 	if aclErr := denyAllACLToInterface(ctx, vppConn, swIfIndex); aclErr != nil {
 		return nil, aclErr
 	}
@@ -209,9 +213,6 @@ func createAfPacket(ctx context.Context, vppConn api.Connection, link netlink.Li
 		WithField("duration", time.Since(now)).
 		WithField("vppapi", "AfPacketCreate").Debug("completed")
 
-	if err := setMtu(ctx, vppConn, link, afPacketCreateRsp.SwIfIndex); err != nil {
-		return 0, err
-	}
 	return afPacketCreateRsp.SwIfIndex, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 25a67ef4..0067ad23 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -189,7 +189,10 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	deviceMap := setupDeviceMap(ctx, cfg)
-	_ = vppinit.InitLinks(ctx, vppConn, deviceMap, cfg.TunnelIP)
+	err = vppinit.InitLinks(ctx, vppConn, deviceMap, cfg.TunnelIP)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.FromContext(ctx).Warnf("Link init failed %+v", err)
+	}
 
 	// ********************************************************************************
 	log.FromContext(ctx).Infof("executing phase 6: retrieving svid, check spire agent logs if this is the last line you see (time since start: %s)", time.Since(starttime))