diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c b/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c
index b375c5d5fc97..33bc5e00cdc6 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c
@@ -325,8 +325,8 @@ void bgp_timer_set(struct peer_connection *connection)
 		/* First entry point of peer's finite state machine.  In Idle
 		   status start timer is on unless peer is shutdown or peer is
 		   inactive.  All other timer must be turned off */
-		if (BGP_PEER_START_SUPPRESSED(peer) || !peer_active(peer)
-		    || peer->bgp->vrf_id == VRF_UNKNOWN) {
+		if (BGP_PEER_START_SUPPRESSED(peer) || !peer_active(connection) ||
+		    peer->bgp->vrf_id == VRF_UNKNOWN) {
 			EVENT_OFF(connection->t_start);
 		} else {
 			BGP_TIMER_ON(connection->t_start, bgp_start_timer,
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_network.c b/bgpd/bgp_network.c
index e6117a5ce021..f1bea1c189ff 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_network.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_network.c
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ static void bgp_accept(struct event *thread)
 			bgp_fsm_change_status(connection1, Active);
 			EVENT_OFF(connection1->t_start);
 
-			if (peer_active(peer1)) {
+			if (peer_active(peer1->connection)) {
 				if (CHECK_FLAG(peer1->flags,
 					       PEER_FLAG_TIMER_DELAYOPEN))
 					BGP_EVENT_ADD(connection1,
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ static void bgp_accept(struct event *thread)
 	}
 
 	/* Check that at least one AF is activated for the peer. */
-	if (!peer_active(peer1)) {
+	if (!peer_active(connection1)) {
 		if (bgp_debug_neighbor_events(peer1))
 			zlog_debug(
 				"%s - incoming conn rejected - no AF activated for peer",
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ static void bgp_accept(struct event *thread)
 		bgp_event_update(connection1, TCP_connection_closed);
 	}
 
-	if (peer_active(peer)) {
+	if (peer_active(peer->connection)) {
 		if (CHECK_FLAG(peer->flags, PEER_FLAG_TIMER_DELAYOPEN))
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(connection, TCP_connection_open_w_delay);
 		else
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c b/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c
index bf0f3b15cfde..1ef90a8e382a 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ void bgp_connected_add(struct bgp *bgp, struct connected *ifc)
 		    !peer_established(peer->connection) &&
 		    !CHECK_FLAG(peer->flags, PEER_FLAG_IFPEER_V6ONLY)) {
 			connection = peer->connection;
-			if (peer_active(peer))
+			if (peer_active(connection))
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
index 16f4a0d2df19..688dfacaa0b6 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ static void bgp_start_interface_nbrs(struct bgp *bgp, struct interface *ifp)
 	for (ALL_LIST_ELEMENTS(bgp->peer, node, nnode, peer)) {
 		if (peer->conf_if && (strcmp(peer->conf_if, ifp->name) == 0) &&
 		    !peer_established(peer->connection)) {
-			if (peer_active(peer))
+			if (peer_active(peer->connection))
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.c b/bgpd/bgpd.c
index f99e46417b77..ced4f611794c 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.c
@@ -1986,7 +1986,7 @@ struct peer *peer_create(union sockunion *su, const char *conf_if,
 		bgp->coalesce_time = MIN(BGP_MAX_SUBGROUP_COALESCE_TIME, ct);
 	}
 
-	active = peer_active(peer);
+	active = peer_active(peer->connection);
 	if (!active) {
 		if (peer->connection->su.sa.sa_family == AF_UNSPEC)
 			peer->last_reset = PEER_DOWN_NBR_ADDR;
@@ -2019,7 +2019,7 @@ struct peer *peer_create(union sockunion *su, const char *conf_if,
 	if (bgp->autoshutdown)
 		peer_flag_set(peer, PEER_FLAG_SHUTDOWN);
 	/* Set up peer's events and timers. */
-	else if (!active && peer_active(peer))
+	else if (!active && peer_active(peer->connection))
 		bgp_timer_set(peer->connection);
 
 	bgp_peer_gr_flags_update(peer);
@@ -2412,13 +2412,13 @@ static int peer_activate_af(struct peer *peer, afi_t afi, safi_t safi)
 	if (peer_af_create(peer, afi, safi) == NULL)
 		return 1;
 
-	active = peer_active(peer);
+	active = peer_active(peer->connection);
 	peer->afc[afi][safi] = 1;
 
 	if (peer->group)
 		peer_group2peer_config_copy_af(peer->group, peer, afi, safi);
 
-	if (!active && peer_active(peer)) {
+	if (!active && peer_active(peer->connection)) {
 		bgp_timer_set(peer->connection);
 	} else {
 		peer->last_reset = PEER_DOWN_AF_ACTIVATE;
@@ -3359,7 +3359,7 @@ int peer_group_bind(struct bgp *bgp, union sockunion *su, struct peer *peer,
 		}
 
 		/* Set up peer's events and timers. */
-		if (peer_active(peer))
+		if (peer_active(peer->connection))
 			bgp_timer_set(peer->connection);
 	}
 
@@ -4600,9 +4600,11 @@ bool bgp_path_attribute_treat_as_withdraw(struct peer *peer, char *buf,
 }
 
 /* If peer is configured at least one address family return 1. */
-bool peer_active(struct peer *peer)
+bool peer_active(struct peer_connection *connection)
 {
-	if (BGP_CONNECTION_SU_UNSPEC(peer->connection))
+	struct peer *peer = connection->peer;
+
+	if (BGP_CONNECTION_SU_UNSPEC(connection))
 		return false;
 
 	if (peer->bfd_config) {
@@ -6320,7 +6322,7 @@ int peer_timers_connect_set(struct peer *peer, uint32_t connect)
 	/* Skip peer-group mechanics for regular peers. */
 	if (!CHECK_FLAG(peer->sflags, PEER_STATUS_GROUP)) {
 		if (!peer_established(peer->connection)) {
-			if (peer_active(peer))
+			if (peer_active(peer->connection))
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
@@ -6341,7 +6343,7 @@ int peer_timers_connect_set(struct peer *peer, uint32_t connect)
 		member->v_connect = connect;
 
 		if (!peer_established(member->connection)) {
-			if (peer_active(member))
+			if (peer_active(member->connection))
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(member->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(member->connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
@@ -6374,7 +6376,7 @@ int peer_timers_connect_unset(struct peer *peer)
 	/* Skip peer-group mechanics for regular peers. */
 	if (!CHECK_FLAG(peer->sflags, PEER_STATUS_GROUP)) {
 		if (!peer_established(peer->connection)) {
-			if (peer_active(peer))
+			if (peer_active(peer->connection))
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
@@ -6395,7 +6397,7 @@ int peer_timers_connect_unset(struct peer *peer)
 		member->v_connect = peer->bgp->default_connect_retry;
 
 		if (!peer_established(member->connection)) {
-			if (peer_active(member))
+			if (peer_active(member->connection))
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(member->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(member->connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
@@ -8682,8 +8684,7 @@ static int peer_unshut_after_cfg(struct bgp *bgp)
 				   peer->host);
 
 		peer->shut_during_cfg = false;
-		if (peer_active(peer) &&
-		    peer->connection->status != Established) {
+		if (peer_active(peer->connection) && peer->connection->status != Established) {
 			if (peer->connection->status != Idle)
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Start);
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.h b/bgpd/bgpd.h
index 2b6921b69503..df55d879e71d 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.h
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.h
@@ -2295,7 +2295,7 @@ extern struct peer *peer_unlock_with_caller(const char *, struct peer *);
 extern enum bgp_peer_sort peer_sort(struct peer *peer);
 extern enum bgp_peer_sort peer_sort_lookup(struct peer *peer);
 
-extern bool peer_active(struct peer *);
+extern bool peer_active(struct peer_connection *connection);
 extern bool peer_active_nego(struct peer *);
 extern bool peer_afc_received(struct peer *peer);
 extern bool peer_afc_advertised(struct peer *peer);