diff --git a/src/vpp-api/client/client.c b/src/vpp-api/client/client.c
index 7a30792..d59273e 100644
--- a/src/vpp-api/client/client.c
+++ b/src/vpp-api/client/client.c
@@ -305,6 +305,8 @@
   }
 
   /* Start read timeout thread */
+  timeout_in_progress = false;
+  timeout_thread_cancelled = false;
   rv = pthread_create(&pm->timeout_thread_handle, NULL,
 		      vac_timeout_thread_fn, 0);
   if (rv) {