diff --git a/plugins/quectel.c b/plugins/quectel.c
index bddf6a17..eef66ced 100644
--- a/plugins/quectel.c
+++ b/plugins/quectel.c
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ struct quectel_data {
 	int mux_ready_count;
 	int initial_ldisc;
 	struct l_gpio_writer *gpio;
+	struct l_timeout *init_timeout;
+	size_t init_count;
+	guint init_cmd;
 };
 
 struct dbus_hw {
@@ -186,6 +189,7 @@ static void quectel_remove(struct ofono_modem *modem)
 		g_at_chat_unregister(data->aux, data->cpin_ready);
 
 	ofono_modem_set_data(modem, NULL);
+	l_timeout_remove(data->init_timeout);
 	l_gpio_writer_free(data->gpio);
 	g_at_chat_unref(data->aux);
 	g_at_chat_unref(data->modem);
@@ -867,6 +871,47 @@ static void ate_cb(int ok, GAtResult *result, void *user_data)
 			cmux_cb, modem, NULL);
 }
 
+static void init_cmd_cb(gboolean ok, GAtResult *result, void *user_data)
+{
+	struct ofono_modem *modem = user_data;
+	struct quectel_data *data = ofono_modem_get_data(modem);
+	const char *rts_cts;
+
+	DBG("%p", modem);
+
+	if (!ok)
+		return;
+
+	rts_cts = ofono_modem_get_string(modem, "RtsCts");
+
+	if (strcmp(rts_cts, "on") == 0)
+		g_at_chat_send(data->uart, "AT+IFC=2,2; E0", none_prefix,
+				ate_cb, modem, NULL);
+	else
+		g_at_chat_send(data->uart, "ATE0", none_prefix, ate_cb, modem,
+				NULL);
+
+	l_timeout_remove(data->init_timeout);
+	data->init_timeout = NULL;
+}
+
+static void init_timeout_cb(struct l_timeout *timeout, void *user_data)
+{
+	struct ofono_modem *modem = user_data;
+	struct quectel_data *data = ofono_modem_get_data(modem);
+
+	DBG("%p", modem);
+
+	if (data->init_count++ >= 20) {
+		ofono_error("failed to init modem after 20 attempts");
+		close_serial(modem);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	g_at_chat_retry(data->uart, data->init_cmd);
+	l_timeout_modify_ms(timeout, 500);
+}
+
 static int open_serial(struct ofono_modem *modem)
 {
 	struct quectel_data *data = ofono_modem_get_data(modem);
@@ -910,18 +955,15 @@ static int open_serial(struct ofono_modem *modem)
 	 *     a few 'AT' bytes to detect the host UART bitrate, but the RDY is
 	 *     lost.
 	 *
-	 * the wakeup command feature is (mis)used to support all three
-	 * scenarious by sending AT commands until the modem responds with OK,
-	 * at which point the modem is ready.
+	 * Handle all three cases by issuing a plain AT command. The modem
+	 * answers with OK when it is ready. Create a timer to re-issue
+	 * the AT command at regular intervals until the modem answers.
 	 */
-	g_at_chat_set_wakeup_command(data->uart, "AT\r", 500, 10000);
-
-	if (strcmp(rts_cts, "on") == 0)
-		g_at_chat_send(data->uart, "AT+IFC=2,2; E0", none_prefix,
-				ate_cb, modem, NULL);
-	else
-		g_at_chat_send(data->uart, "ATE0", none_prefix, ate_cb, modem,
-				NULL);
+	data->init_count = 0;
+	data->init_cmd = g_at_chat_send(data->uart, "AT", none_prefix,
+					init_cmd_cb, modem, NULL);
+	data->init_timeout = l_timeout_create_ms(500, init_timeout_cb, modem,
+							NULL);
 
 	return -EINPROGRESS;
 }