diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 1e07b2d077..f1c68d06a6 100755
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@
 #include "supervisor/shared/stack.h"
 #include "supervisor/serial.h"
 
+#ifdef MICROPY_PY_NETWORK
+#include "shared-bindings/network/__init__.h"
+#endif
+
 void do_str(const char *src, mp_parse_input_kind_t input_kind) {
     mp_lexer_t *lex = mp_lexer_new_from_str_len(MP_QSTR__lt_stdin_gt_, src, strlen(src), 0);
     if (lex == NULL) {
@@ -108,10 +112,16 @@ void start_mp(supervisor_allocation* heap) {
     mp_obj_list_append(mp_sys_path, MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_FROZEN_FAKE_DIR_QSTR));
 
     mp_obj_list_init(mp_sys_argv, 0);
+
+    #if MICROPY_PY_NETWORK
+    network_module_init();
+    #endif
 }
 
 void stop_mp(void) {
-
+    #if MICROPY_PY_NETWORK
+    network_module_deinit();
+    #endif
 }
 
 #define STRING_LIST(...) {__VA_ARGS__, ""}
diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/mpconfigport.h b/ports/atmel-samd/mpconfigport.h
index 18fc0ccb3a..20a2b67266 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/mpconfigport.h
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/mpconfigport.h
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@
 #define MICROPY_VFS                 (1)
 #define MICROPY_VFS_FAT             (1)
 #define MICROPY_PY_MACHINE          (1)
-#define MICROPY_MODULE_BUILTIN_INIT (1)
 #define MICROPY_MODULE_WEAK_LINKS   (0)
 #define MICROPY_REPL_AUTO_INDENT    (1)
 #define MICROPY_HW_ENABLE_DAC       (1)
diff --git a/shared-bindings/network/__init__.c b/shared-bindings/network/__init__.c
index 357aad3461..ad42fea5f5 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/network/__init__.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/network/__init__.c
@@ -42,14 +42,14 @@
 ///
 /// This module provides network drivers and routing configuration.
 
-void mod_network_init(void) {
+void network_module_init(void) {
     mp_obj_list_init(&MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list), 0);
 }
 
-void mod_network_deinit(void) {
+void network_module_deinit(void) {
 }
 
-void mod_network_register_nic(mp_obj_t nic) {
+void network_module_register_nic(mp_obj_t nic) {
     for (mp_uint_t i = 0; i < MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list).len; i++) {
         if (MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list).items[i] == nic) {
             // nic already registered
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void mod_network_register_nic(mp_obj_t nic) {
     mp_obj_list_append(MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(&MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list)), nic);
 }
 
-mp_obj_t mod_network_find_nic(const uint8_t *ip) {
+mp_obj_t network_module_find_nic(const uint8_t *ip) {
     // find a NIC that is suited to given IP address
     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];
@@ -72,12 +72,6 @@ mp_obj_t mod_network_find_nic(const uint8_t *ip) {
     nlr_raise(mp_obj_new_exception_msg(&mp_type_OSError, translate("no available NIC")));
 }
 
-STATIC mp_obj_t network_initialize(void) {
-    mod_network_init();
-    return mp_const_none;
-}
-STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_0(network_initialize_obj, network_initialize);
-
 STATIC mp_obj_t network_route(void) {
     return MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(&MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list));
 }
@@ -85,7 +79,6 @@ STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_0(network_route_obj, network_route);
 
 STATIC const mp_rom_map_elem_t mp_module_network_globals_table[] = {
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR___name__), MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_network) },
-    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR___init__), MP_ROM_PTR(&network_initialize_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_route), MP_ROM_PTR(&network_route_obj) },
 };
 
diff --git a/shared-bindings/network/__init__.h b/shared-bindings/network/__init__.h
index 1036c47be5..b3fd657b6e 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/network/__init__.h
+++ b/shared-bindings/network/__init__.h
@@ -76,9 +76,9 @@ typedef struct _mod_network_socket_obj_t {
 extern const mod_network_nic_type_t mod_network_nic_type_wiznet5k;
 extern const mod_network_nic_type_t mod_network_nic_type_cc3k;
 
-void mod_network_init(void);
-void mod_network_deinit(void);
-void mod_network_register_nic(mp_obj_t nic);
-mp_obj_t mod_network_find_nic(const uint8_t *ip);
+void network_module_init(void);
+void network_module_deinit(void);
+void network_module_register_nic(mp_obj_t nic);
+mp_obj_t network_module_find_nic(const uint8_t *ip);
 
 #endif // MICROPY_INCLUDED_SHARED_BINDINGS_NETWORK___INIT___H
diff --git a/shared-bindings/socket/__init__.c b/shared-bindings/socket/__init__.c
index b378b2940d..85796c5c4f 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/socket/__init__.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/socket/__init__.c
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args, size_t
 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 = network_module_find_nic(ip);
         self->nic_type = (mod_network_nic_type_t*)mp_obj_get_type(self->nic);
 
         // call the NIC to open the socket
diff --git a/shared-bindings/wiznet/__init__.c b/shared-bindings/wiznet/__init__.c
index b1f63e639d..717ef4bc6d 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/wiznet/__init__.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/wiznet/__init__.c
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t wiznet5k_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args, size
     mp_hal_delay_ms(250);
 
     // register with network module
-    mod_network_register_nic(&wiznet5k_obj);
+    network_module_register_nic(&wiznet5k_obj);
 
     // return wiznet5k object
     return &wiznet5k_obj;