diff --git a/cmd/cli/dns_proxy.go b/cmd/cli/dns_proxy.go
index 33012fa..6cc36c8 100644
--- a/cmd/cli/dns_proxy.go
+++ b/cmd/cli/dns_proxy.go
@@ -84,13 +84,7 @@ type upstreamForResult struct {
 	srcAddr        string
 }
 
-func (p *prog) serveDNS(mainCtx context.Context, listenerNum string) error {
-	// Start network monitoring
-	if err := p.monitorNetworkChanges(mainCtx); err != nil {
-		mainLog.Load().Error().Err(err).Msg("Failed to start network monitoring")
-		// Don't return here as we still want DNS service to run
-	}
-
+func (p *prog) serveDNS(listenerNum string) error {
 	listenerConfig := p.cfg.Listener[listenerNum]
 	// make sure ip is allocated
 	if allocErr := p.allocateIP(listenerConfig.IP); allocErr != nil {
@@ -1187,7 +1181,7 @@ func FlushDNSCache() error {
 }
 
 // monitorNetworkChanges starts monitoring for network interface changes
-func (p *prog) monitorNetworkChanges(ctx context.Context) error {
+func (p *prog) monitorNetworkChanges() error {
 	mon, err := netmon.New(func(format string, args ...any) {
 		// Always fetch the latest logger (and inject the prefix)
 		mainLog.Load().Printf("netmon: "+format, args...)
diff --git a/cmd/cli/prog.go b/cmd/cli/prog.go
index 90f403d..fd36620 100644
--- a/cmd/cli/prog.go
+++ b/cmd/cli/prog.go
@@ -533,6 +533,12 @@ func (p *prog) run(reload bool, reloadCh chan struct{}) {
 	for listenerNum := range p.cfg.Listener {
 		p.cfg.Listener[listenerNum].Init()
 		if !reload {
+			go func() {
+				// Start network monitoring
+				if err := p.monitorNetworkChanges(); err != nil {
+					mainLog.Load().Error().Err(err).Msg("Failed to start network monitoring")
+				}
+			}()
 			go func(listenerNum string) {
 				listenerConfig := p.cfg.Listener[listenerNum]
 				upstreamConfig := p.cfg.Upstream[listenerNum]
@@ -541,7 +547,7 @@ func (p *prog) run(reload bool, reloadCh chan struct{}) {
 				}
 				addr := net.JoinHostPort(listenerConfig.IP, strconv.Itoa(listenerConfig.Port))
 				mainLog.Load().Info().Msgf("starting DNS server on listener.%s: %s", listenerNum, addr)
-				if err := p.serveDNS(ctx, listenerNum); err != nil {
+				if err := p.serveDNS(listenerNum); err != nil {
 					mainLog.Load().Fatal().Err(err).Msgf("unable to start dns proxy on listener.%s", listenerNum)
 				}
 				mainLog.Load().Debug().Msgf("end of serveDNS listener.%s: %s", listenerNum, addr)