diff --git a/src/gprs.c b/src/gprs.c
index bdb8c8a2..d554dab1 100644
--- a/src/gprs.c
+++ b/src/gprs.c
@@ -1661,6 +1661,15 @@ static void gprs_netreg_update(struct ofono_gprs *gprs)
 {
 	ofono_bool_t attach;
 
+	/*
+	 * This function can get called by other reasons than netreg
+	 * updating its status. So check if we have a valid netreg status yet.
+	 * The only reason for not having a valid status is basically during
+	 * startup while the netreg atom is fetching the status.
+	 */
+	if (gprs->netreg_status < 0)
+		return;
+
 	attach = gprs->netreg_status == NETWORK_REGISTRATION_STATUS_REGISTERED;
 
 	attach = attach || (gprs->roaming_allowed &&
@@ -3084,7 +3093,7 @@ struct ofono_gprs *ofono_gprs_create(struct ofono_modem *modem,
 	}
 
 	gprs->status = NETWORK_REGISTRATION_STATUS_UNKNOWN;
-	gprs->netreg_status = NETWORK_REGISTRATION_STATUS_UNKNOWN;
+	gprs->netreg_status = -1;
 	gprs->used_pids = l_uintset_new(MAX_CONTEXTS);
 
 	return gprs;
@@ -3095,6 +3104,7 @@ static void netreg_watch(struct ofono_atom *atom,
 				void *data)
 {
 	struct ofono_gprs *gprs = data;
+	int status;
 
 	if (cond == OFONO_ATOM_WATCH_CONDITION_UNREGISTERED) {
 		gprs_netreg_removed(gprs);
@@ -3102,7 +3112,16 @@ static void netreg_watch(struct ofono_atom *atom,
 	}
 
 	gprs->netreg = __ofono_atom_get_data(atom);
-	gprs->netreg_status = ofono_netreg_get_status(gprs->netreg);
+	status = ofono_netreg_get_status(gprs->netreg);
+
+	/*
+	 * If the status is known, assign it, otherwise keep the init value
+	 * to indicate that the netreg atom is not initialised with a known
+	 * value
+	 */
+	if (status != NETWORK_REGISTRATION_STATUS_UNKNOWN)
+		gprs->netreg_status = status;
+
 	gprs->status_watch = __ofono_netreg_add_status_watch(gprs->netreg,
 					netreg_status_changed, gprs, NULL);