diff --git a/network_manager.cpp b/network_manager.cpp
index bb6d204..e9d8ad9 100644
--- a/network_manager.cpp
+++ b/network_manager.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@
 namespace network
 {
 
-extern std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> refreshTimer;
+extern std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> refreshObjectTimer;
+extern std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> restartTimer;
 using namespace phosphor::logging;
 using namespace sdbusplus::xyz::openbmc_project::Common::Error;
 
@@ -201,20 +202,24 @@
         intf.second->writeConfigurationFile();
 
     }
-    restartNetwork();
+    restartTimers();
 }
 
-void Manager::restartNetwork()
+void Manager::restartTimers()
 {
     using namespace std::chrono;
-
-    if (refreshTimer && !refreshTimer->isExpired())
+    if (refreshObjectTimer && restartTimer)
     {
-        auto time =  duration_cast<microseconds>(
-                        phosphor::network::networkChangeTimeout);
-        refreshTimer->startTimer(time);
+        // start the restart timer.
+        auto restartTime = duration_cast<microseconds>(
+                phosphor::network::restartTimeout);
+        restartTimer->startTimer(restartTime);
+
+        // start the refresh timer.
+        auto refreshTime =  duration_cast<microseconds>(
+                phosphor::network::refreshTimeout);
+        refreshObjectTimer->startTimer(refreshTime);
     }
-    restartSystemdUnit("systemd-networkd.service");
 }
 
 }//namespace network
diff --git a/network_manager.hpp b/network_manager.hpp
index 70ed8fc..7685ba8 100644
--- a/network_manager.hpp
+++ b/network_manager.hpp
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@
          */
         bool createDefaultNetworkFiles(bool force);
 
-        /** @brief restart the systemd networkd. */
-        void restartNetwork();
+        /** @brief restart the network timers. */
+        void restartTimers();
 
     private:
         /** @brief Persistent sdbusplus DBus bus connection. */
diff --git a/network_manager_main.cpp b/network_manager_main.cpp
index 969b705..0c95c8d 100644
--- a/network_manager_main.cpp
+++ b/network_manager_main.cpp
@@ -15,25 +15,47 @@
 {
 
 std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Manager> manager = nullptr;
-std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> refreshTimer = nullptr;
+std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> refreshObjectTimer = nullptr;
+std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> restartTimer = nullptr;
 
+/** @brief refresh the network objects. */
 void refreshObjects()
 {
-    manager->createChildObjects();
+    if (manager)
+    {
+        manager->createChildObjects();
+    }
+}
+
+/** @brief restart the systemd networkd. */
+void restartNetwork()
+{
+    restartSystemdUnit("systemd-networkd.service");
 }
 
 } //namespace network
 } //namespace phosphor
 
+void initializeTimers()
+{
+    std::function<void()> refreshFunc(
+            std::bind(&phosphor::network::refreshObjects));
+
+    std::function<void()> restartFunc(
+            std::bind(&phosphor::network::restartNetwork));
+
+    phosphor::network::refreshObjectTimer =
+        std::make_unique<phosphor::network::Timer>(refreshFunc);
+
+    phosphor::network::restartTimer =
+        std::make_unique<phosphor::network::Timer>(restartFunc);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     using namespace phosphor::logging;
 
-    std::function<void()> func(
-            std::bind(&phosphor::network::refreshObjects));
-
-    phosphor::network::refreshTimer =
-        std::make_unique<phosphor::network::Timer>(func);
+    initializeTimers();
 
     auto bus = sdbusplus::bus::new_default();
 
@@ -75,7 +97,7 @@
         // if files created restart the network.
         // don't need to call the create child objects as eventhandler
         // will create it.
-        phosphor::network::manager->restartNetwork();
+        phosphor::network::restartNetwork();
     }
     return svr.run();
 }
diff --git a/rtnetlink_server.cpp b/rtnetlink_server.cpp
index 91e9947..31dbfd1 100644
--- a/rtnetlink_server.cpp
+++ b/rtnetlink_server.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 namespace network
 {
 
-extern std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> refreshTimer;
+extern std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> refreshObjectTimer;
 
 namespace rtnetlink
 {
@@ -46,13 +46,13 @@
             {
                 // starting the timer here to make sure that we don't want
                 // create the child objects multiple times.
-                if (refreshTimer->isExpired())
+                if (refreshObjectTimer->isExpired())
                 {
                     using namespace std::chrono;
-                    auto time = duration_cast<microseconds>(networkChangeTimeout);
+                    auto time = duration_cast<microseconds>(refreshTimeout);
                     // if start timer throws exception then let the application
                     // crash
-                    refreshTimer->startTimer(time);
+                    refreshObjectTimer->startTimer(time);
                 } // end if
             } // end if
 
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@
     return 0;
 }
 
-
 int Server::run()
 {
     using namespace phosphor::logging;
@@ -118,7 +117,7 @@
 
     memset(&addr, 0, sizeof(addr));
     addr.nl_family = AF_NETLINK;
-    addr.nl_groups = RTMGRP_IPV4_IFADDR;
+    addr.nl_groups = RTMGRP_IPV4_IFADDR | RTMGRP_IPV6_IFADDR;
 
     if (bind(smartSock(), (struct sockaddr*)&addr, sizeof(addr)) < 0)
     {
diff --git a/test/test_network_manager.cpp b/test/test_network_manager.cpp
index 6281081..8413c01 100644
--- a/test/test_network_manager.cpp
+++ b/test/test_network_manager.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
 namespace network
 {
 
-std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> refreshTimer = nullptr;
+std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> refreshObjectTimer = nullptr;
+std::unique_ptr<phosphor::network::Timer> restartTimer = nullptr;
+
 namespace fs = std::experimental::filesystem;
 
 class TestNetworkManager : public testing::Test
diff --git a/types.hpp b/types.hpp
index f180ece..3fcbe2e 100644
--- a/types.hpp
+++ b/types.hpp
@@ -17,7 +17,13 @@
 {
 
 using namespace std::chrono_literals;
-constexpr auto networkChangeTimeout = 1s;
+
+// wait for three seconds before restarting the networkd
+constexpr auto restartTimeout = 3s;
+
+// refresh the objets after five seconds as network
+// configuration takes 3-4 sec after systemd-networkd restart.
+constexpr auto refreshTimeout = restartTimeout + 5s;
 
 namespace systemd
 {