diff --git a/drivers/net/netdevsim/netdev.c b/drivers/net/netdevsim/netdev.c
index a6bbe93f29ef..917f37c17630 100644
--- a/drivers/net/netdevsim/netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/netdevsim/netdev.c
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ nsim_create(struct nsim_dev *nsim_dev, struct nsim_dev_port *nsim_dev_port)
 
 	ns = netdev_priv(dev);
 	ns->netdev = dev;
+	u64_stats_init(&ns->syncp);
 	ns->nsim_dev = nsim_dev;
 	ns->nsim_dev_port = nsim_dev_port;
 	ns->nsim_bus_dev = nsim_dev->nsim_bus_dev;