diff --git a/cores/arduino/zephyrCommon.cpp b/cores/arduino/zephyrCommon.cpp
index 901457d1..49ee10ad 100644
--- a/cores/arduino/zephyrCommon.cpp
+++ b/cores/arduino/zephyrCommon.cpp
@@ -418,13 +418,13 @@ unsigned long pulseIn(pin_size_t pinNumber, uint8_t state, unsigned long timeout
   int64_t start, end, delta = 0;
   const struct gpio_dt_spec *spec = &arduino_pins[pinNumber];
 
-  k_timer_init(&timer, NULL, NULL);
-  k_timer_start(&timer, K_MSEC(timeout), K_NO_WAIT);
-
   if (!gpio_is_ready_dt(spec)) {
-    goto cleanup;
+    return 0;
   }
 
+  k_timer_init(&timer, NULL, NULL);
+  k_timer_start(&timer, K_MSEC(timeout), K_NO_WAIT);
+
   while(gpio_pin_get_dt(spec) == state && k_timer_status_get(&timer) == 0);
   if (k_timer_status_get(&timer) > 0) {
     goto cleanup;