diff --git a/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java b/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
index 387b6a6..8aa509d 100644
--- a/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
+++ b/providers/openflow/device/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/of/device/impl/OpenFlowDeviceProvider.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.Timer;
 
@@ -179,6 +180,8 @@
         controller.addListener(listener);
         controller.addEventListener(listener);
 
+        modified(context);
+
         connectInitialDevices();
         LOG.info("Started");
     }
@@ -197,7 +200,7 @@
 
     @Modified
     public void modified(ComponentContext context) {
-        Dictionary<?, ?> properties = context.getProperties();
+        Dictionary<?, ?> properties = context != null ? context.getProperties() : new Properties();
         int newPortStatsPollFrequency;
         try {
             String s = get(properties, POLL_PROP_NAME);