diff --git a/subsys/net/lib/config/init.c b/subsys/net/lib/config/init.c
index 1748be7ae9a..d7d2a0b389e 100644
--- a/subsys/net/lib/config/init.c
+++ b/subsys/net/lib/config/init.c
@@ -376,6 +376,14 @@ int net_config_init(const char *app_info, u32_t flags, s32_t timeout)
 #endif
 	}
 
+	if (count == 0) {
+		/* Network interface did not come up. We will not try
+		 * to setup things in that case.
+		 */
+		NET_ERR("Timeout while waiting network %s", "interface");
+		return -ENETDOWN;
+	}
+
 	if (flags & NET_CONFIG_NEED_IPV6) {
 		need++;
 	}
@@ -402,7 +410,7 @@ int net_config_init(const char *app_info, u32_t flags, s32_t timeout)
 	}
 
 	if (!count && timeout) {
-		NET_ERR("Timeout while waiting setup");
+		NET_ERR("Timeout while waiting network %s", "setup");
 		return -ETIMEDOUT;
 	}