diff --git a/sys/ztimer/periodic.c b/sys/ztimer/periodic.c
index ddd82b8d771c..9a06ba947f82 100644
--- a/sys/ztimer/periodic.c
+++ b/sys/ztimer/periodic.c
@@ -57,7 +57,10 @@ void ztimer_periodic_init(ztimer_clock_t *clock, ztimer_periodic_t *timer,
                           bool (*callback)(
                               void *), void *arg, uint32_t interval)
 {
-    ztimer_remove(clock, &timer->timer);
+    /* check if this is a reinit try*/
+    if (timer->timer.callback == _ztimer_periodic_callback){
+        return;
+    }
     *timer =
         (ztimer_periodic_t){ .clock = clock, .interval = interval,
                              .callback = callback, .arg = arg,