diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/backup_poller.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/backup_poller.cc
index 9d6719d47c5..e9bae130561 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/backup_poller.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/backup_poller.cc
@@ -89,13 +89,6 @@ static void g_poller_unref(grpc_exec_ctx* exec_ctx) {
   }
 }
 
-static void schedule_polling_timer(gpr_timespec now) {
-  grpc_timer_init(
-      exec_ctx, &p->polling_timer,
-      gpr_time_add(now, gpr_time_from_millis(g_poll_interval_ms, GPR_TIMESPAN)),
-      &p->run_poller_closure, now);
-}
-
 static void run_poller(grpc_exec_ctx* exec_ctx, void* arg, grpc_error* error) {
   backup_poller* p = (backup_poller*)arg;
   if (error != GRPC_ERROR_NONE) {
@@ -111,7 +104,10 @@ static void run_poller(grpc_exec_ctx* exec_ctx, void* arg, grpc_error* error) {
                                       gpr_inf_past(GPR_CLOCK_MONOTONIC));
   gpr_mu_unlock(p->pollset_mu);
   GRPC_LOG_IF_ERROR("Run client channel backup poller", err);
-  schedule_polling_timer(now);
+  grpc_timer_init(
+      exec_ctx, &p->polling_timer,
+      gpr_time_add(now, gpr_time_from_millis(g_poll_interval_ms, GPR_TIMESPAN)),
+      &p->run_poller_closure, now);
 }
 
 void grpc_client_channel_start_backup_polling(
@@ -130,7 +126,11 @@ void grpc_client_channel_start_backup_polling(
     gpr_ref_init(&g_poller->shutdown_refs, 2);
     GRPC_CLOSURE_INIT(&g_poller->run_poller_closure, run_poller, g_poller,
                       grpc_schedule_on_exec_ctx);
-    schedule_polling_timer(gpr_now(GPR_CLOCK_MONOTONIC));
+    gpr_timespec now = gpr_now(GPR_CLOCK_MONOTONIC);
+    grpc_timer_init(exec_ctx, &g_poller->polling_timer,
+                    gpr_time_add(now, gpr_time_from_millis(g_poll_interval_ms,
+                                                           GPR_TIMESPAN)),
+                    &g_poller->run_poller_closure, now);
   }
   gpr_ref(&g_poller->refs);
   gpr_mu_unlock(&g_poller_mu);