diff --git a/cc3200/mods/modnetwork.c b/cc3200/mods/modnetwork.c
index 77e8e0658f..b63cb484dc 100644
--- a/cc3200/mods/modnetwork.c
+++ b/cc3200/mods/modnetwork.c
@@ -54,13 +54,11 @@ void mod_network_register_nic(mp_obj_t nic) {
     mp_obj_list_append(&MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list), nic);
 }
 
-mp_obj_t mod_network_find_nic(const uint8_t *ip) {
-    // find a NIC that is suited to given IP address
+mp_obj_t mod_network_find_nic(void) {
     for (mp_uint_t i = 0; i < MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list).len; i++) {
         mp_obj_t nic = MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list).items[i];
         return nic;
     }
-
     nlr_raise(mp_obj_new_exception_msg(&mp_type_OSError, mpexception_os_resource_not_avaliable));
 }
 
diff --git a/cc3200/mods/modnetwork.h b/cc3200/mods/modnetwork.h
index a7fb58676e..a8f6facf41 100644
--- a/cc3200/mods/modnetwork.h
+++ b/cc3200/mods/modnetwork.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ extern const mod_network_nic_type_t mod_network_nic_type_wlan;
 
 void mod_network_init0(void);
 void mod_network_register_nic(mp_obj_t nic);
-mp_obj_t mod_network_find_nic(const uint8_t *ip);
+mp_obj_t mod_network_find_nic(void);
 
 void mod_network_parse_ipv4_addr(mp_obj_t addr_in, uint8_t *out_ip);
 mp_uint_t mod_network_parse_inet_addr(mp_obj_t addr_in, uint8_t *out_ip);
diff --git a/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c b/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c
index 929238c5da..d3e596b03b 100644
--- a/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c
+++ b/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c
@@ -40,6 +40,18 @@
 
 STATIC const mp_obj_type_t socket_type;
 
+STATIC void socket_select_nic(mod_network_socket_obj_t *self) {
+    // select a nic
+    self->nic = mod_network_find_nic();
+    self->nic_type = (mod_network_nic_type_t*)mp_obj_get_type(self->nic);
+
+    // call the nic to open the socket
+    int _errno;
+    if (self->nic_type->socket(self, &_errno) != 0) {
+        nlr_raise(mp_obj_new_exception_arg1(&mp_type_OSError, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(_errno)));
+    }
+}
+
 // constructor socket(family=AF_INET, type=SOCK_STREAM, proto=IPPROTO_TCP, fileno=None)
 STATIC mp_obj_t socket_make_new(mp_obj_t type_in, mp_uint_t n_args, mp_uint_t n_kw, const mp_obj_t *args) {
     mp_arg_check_num(n_args, n_kw, 0, 4, false);
@@ -65,22 +77,12 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_make_new(mp_obj_t type_in, mp_uint_t n_args, mp_uint_t n_
             }
         }
     }
+
+    socket_select_nic(s);
+
     return s;
 }
 
-STATIC void socket_select_nic(mod_network_socket_obj_t *self, const byte *ip) {
-    if (self->nic == MP_OBJ_NULL) {
-        // select NIC based on IP
-        self->nic = mod_network_find_nic(ip);
-        self->nic_type = (mod_network_nic_type_t*)mp_obj_get_type(self->nic);
-
-        // call the NIC to open the socket
-        int _errno;
-        if (self->nic_type->socket(self, &_errno) != 0) {
-            nlr_raise(mp_obj_new_exception_arg1(&mp_type_OSError, MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(_errno)));
-        }
-    }
-}
 // method socket.close()
 STATIC mp_obj_t socket_close(mp_obj_t self_in) {
     mod_network_socket_obj_t *self = self_in;
@@ -99,9 +101,6 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_bind(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t addr_in) {
     uint8_t ip[MOD_NETWORK_IPV4ADDR_BUF_SIZE];
     mp_uint_t port = mod_network_parse_inet_addr(addr_in, ip);
 
-    // check if we need to select a NIC
-    socket_select_nic(self, ip);
-
     // call the NIC to bind the socket
     int _errno;
     if (self->nic_type->bind(self, ip, port, &_errno) != 0) {
@@ -170,9 +169,6 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_connect(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t addr_in) {
     uint8_t ip[MOD_NETWORK_IPV4ADDR_BUF_SIZE];
     mp_uint_t port = mod_network_parse_inet_addr(addr_in, ip);
 
-    // check if we need to select a NIC
-    socket_select_nic(self, ip);
-
     // call the NIC to connect the socket
     int _errno;
     if (self->nic_type->connect(self, ip, port, &_errno) != 0) {
@@ -237,9 +233,6 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_sendto(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t data_in, mp_obj_t addr_
     uint8_t ip[MOD_NETWORK_IPV4ADDR_BUF_SIZE];
     mp_uint_t port = mod_network_parse_inet_addr(addr_in, ip);
 
-    // check if we need to select a NIC
-    socket_select_nic(self, ip);
-
     // call the NIC to sendto
     int _errno;
     mp_int_t ret = self->nic_type->sendto(self, bufinfo.buf, bufinfo.len, ip, port, &_errno);