diff --git a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.c b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.c
index 4715cfd063..be65d7bb36 100644
--- a/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.c
+++ b/src/modules/px4iofirmware/px4io.c
@@ -232,6 +232,9 @@ calculate_fw_crc(void)
 int
 user_start(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+	/* configure the first 8 PWM outputs (i.e. all of them) */
+	up_pwm_servo_init(0xff);
+
 	/* run C++ ctors before we go any further */
 	up_cxxinitialize();
 
@@ -276,9 +279,6 @@ user_start(int argc, char *argv[])
 	/* start the safety switch handler */
 	safety_init();
 
-	/* configure the first 8 PWM outputs (i.e. all of them) */
-	up_pwm_servo_init(0xff);
-
 	/* initialise the control inputs */
 	controls_init();