diff --git a/src/posix/platform/radio_spinel.cpp b/src/posix/platform/radio_spinel.cpp
index 2d3df4444..709df409c 100644
--- a/src/posix/platform/radio_spinel.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/platform/radio_spinel.cpp
@@ -523,7 +523,6 @@ void RadioSpinel::Init(const char *aRadioFile, const char *aRadioConfig)
     {
         mSockFd = OpenFile(aRadioFile, aRadioConfig);
         VerifyOrExit(mSockFd != -1, error = OT_ERROR_INVALID_ARGS);
-        SuccessOrExit(error = SendReset());
     }
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_POSIX_APP_ENABLE_PTY_DEVICE
     else if (S_ISREG(st.st_mode))
@@ -533,6 +532,7 @@ void RadioSpinel::Init(const char *aRadioFile, const char *aRadioConfig)
     }
 #endif // OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_POSIX_APP_ENABLE_PTY_DEVICE
 
+    SuccessOrExit(error = SendReset());
     SuccessOrExit(error = WaitResponse());
     VerifyOrExit(mIsReady, error = OT_ERROR_FAILED);