diff --git a/clock.c b/clock.c
index 5b251c1..6ed0305 100644
--- a/clock.c
+++ b/clock.c
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ struct clock {
 	struct ClockIdentity best_id;
 	struct port *port[CLK_N_PORTS];
 	struct pollfd pollfd[CLK_N_PORTS*N_CLOCK_PFD];
-	int fault_fd[CLK_N_PORTS];
 	int nports; /* does not include the UDS port */
 	int free_running;
 	int freq_est_interval;
@@ -257,10 +256,8 @@ void clock_destroy(struct clock *c)
 	int i;
 
 	clock_flush_subscriptions(c);
-	for (i = 0; i < c->nports; i++) {
+	for (i = 0; i < c->nports; i++)
 		port_close(c->port[i]);
-		close(c->fault_fd[i]);
-	}
 	port_close(c->port[i]); /*uds*/
 	if (c->clkid != CLOCK_REALTIME) {
 		phc_close(c->clkid);
@@ -282,7 +279,7 @@ static int clock_fault_timeout(struct clock *c, int index, int set)
 
 	if (!set) {
 		pr_debug("clearing fault on port %d", index + 1);
-		return set_tmo_lin(c->fault_fd[index], 0);
+		return port_set_fault_timer_lin(c->port[index], 0);
 	}
 
 	fault_interval(c->port[index], last_fault_type(c->port[index]), &i);
@@ -290,11 +287,11 @@ static int clock_fault_timeout(struct clock *c, int index, int set)
 	if (i.type == FTMO_LINEAR_SECONDS) {
 		pr_debug("waiting %d seconds to clear fault on port %d",
 			 i.val, index + 1);
-		return set_tmo_lin(c->fault_fd[index], i.val);
+		return port_set_fault_timer_lin(c->port[index], i.val);
 	} else if (i.type == FTMO_LOG2_SECONDS) {
 		pr_debug("waiting 2^{%d} seconds to clear fault on port %d",
 			 i.val, index + 1);
-		return set_tmo_log(c->fault_fd[index], 1, i.val);
+		return port_set_fault_timer_log(c->port[index], 1, i.val);
 	}
 
 	pr_err("Unsupported fault interval type %d", i.type);
@@ -863,12 +860,7 @@ struct clock *clock_create(int phc_index, struct interface *iface, int count,
 			pr_err("failed to open port %s", iface[i].name);
 			return NULL;
 		}
-		c->fault_fd[i] = timerfd_create(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, 0);
-		if (c->fault_fd[i] < 0) {
-			pr_err("timerfd_create failed: %m");
-			return NULL;
-		}
-		c->pollfd[N_CLOCK_PFD * i + N_POLLFD].fd = c->fault_fd[i];
+		c->pollfd[N_CLOCK_PFD * i + N_POLLFD].fd = port_fault_fd(c->port[i]);
 		c->pollfd[N_CLOCK_PFD * i + N_POLLFD].events = POLLIN|POLLPRI;
 	}
 
diff --git a/port.c b/port.c
index 080bc8e..bd1b178 100644
--- a/port.c
+++ b/port.c
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ struct port {
 	struct transport *trp;
 	enum timestamp_type timestamping;
 	struct fdarray fda;
+	int fault_fd;
 	struct foreign_clock *best;
 	enum syfu_state syfu;
 	struct ptp_message *last_syncfup;
@@ -193,6 +194,11 @@ int fault_interval(struct port *port, enum fault_type ft,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int port_fault_fd(struct port *port)
+{
+	return port->fault_fd;
+}
+
 int set_tmo_log(int fd, unsigned int scale, int log_seconds)
 {
 	struct itimerspec tmo = {
@@ -253,6 +259,17 @@ int set_tmo_random(int fd, int min, int span, int log_seconds)
 	return timerfd_settime(fd, 0, &tmo, NULL);
 }
 
+int port_set_fault_timer_log(struct port *port,
+			     unsigned int scale, int log_seconds)
+{
+	return set_tmo_log(port->fault_fd, scale, log_seconds);
+}
+
+int port_set_fault_timer_lin(struct port *port, int seconds)
+{
+	return set_tmo_lin(port->fault_fd, seconds);
+}
+
 static void fc_clear(struct foreign_clock *fc)
 {
 	struct ptp_message *m;
@@ -1903,6 +1920,8 @@ void port_close(struct port *p)
 	}
 	transport_destroy(p->trp);
 	filter_destroy(p->delay_filter);
+	if (p->fault_fd >= 0)
+		close(p->fault_fd);
 	free(p);
 }
 
@@ -2408,18 +2427,15 @@ struct port *port_open(int phc_index,
 		pr_err("port %d: PHC device mismatch", number);
 		pr_err("port %d: /dev/ptp%d requested, but /dev/ptp%d attached",
 		       number, phc_index, interface->ts_info.phc_index);
-		free(p);
-		return NULL;
+		goto err_port;
 	}
 
 	p->pod = interface->pod;
 	p->name = interface->name;
 	p->clock = clock;
 	p->trp = transport_create(interface->transport);
-	if (!p->trp) {
-		free(p);
-		return NULL;
-	}
+	if (!p->trp)
+		goto err_port;
 	p->timestamping = timestamping;
 	p->portIdentity.clockIdentity = clock_identity(clock);
 	p->portIdentity.portNumber = number;
@@ -2431,12 +2447,27 @@ struct port *port_open(int phc_index,
 					interface->delay_filter_length);
 	if (!p->delay_filter) {
 		pr_err("Failed to create delay filter");
-		transport_destroy(p->trp);
-		free(p);
-		return NULL;
+		goto err_transport;
 	}
 	p->nrate.ratio = 1.0;
+
+	p->fault_fd = -1;
+	if (number) {
+		p->fault_fd = timerfd_create(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, 0);
+		if (p->fault_fd < 0) {
+			pr_err("timerfd_create failed: %m");
+			goto err_filter;
+		}
+	}
 	return p;
+
+err_filter:
+	filter_destroy(p->delay_filter);
+err_transport:
+	transport_destroy(p->trp);
+err_port:
+	free(p);
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 enum port_state port_state(struct port *port)
diff --git a/port.h b/port.h
index a1b8ad7..20d0f4c 100644
--- a/port.h
+++ b/port.h
@@ -200,6 +200,13 @@ struct port *port_open(int phc_index,
  */
 enum port_state port_state(struct port *port);
 
+/**
+ * Return file descriptor of the port.
+ * @param port	A port instance.
+ * @return	File descriptor or -1 if not applicable.
+ */
+int port_fault_fd(struct port *port);
+
 /**
  * Utility function for setting or resetting a file descriptor timer.
  *
@@ -244,6 +251,28 @@ int set_tmo_random(int fd, int min, int span, int log_seconds);
  */
 int set_tmo_lin(int fd, int seconds);
 
+/**
+ * Sets port's fault file descriptor timer.
+ * Passing both 'scale' and 'log_seconds' as zero disables the timer.
+ *
+ * @param fd		A port instance.
+ * @param scale		The multiplicative factor for the timer.
+ * @param log_seconds	The exponential factor for the timer.
+ * @return		Zero on success, non-zero otherwise.
+ */
+int port_set_fault_timer_log(struct port *port,
+			     unsigned int scale, int log_seconds);
+
+/**
+ * Sets port's fault file descriptor timer.
+ * Passing 'seconds' as zero disables the timer.
+ *
+ * @param fd		A port instance.
+ * @param seconds	The timeout value for the timer.
+ * @return		Zero on success, non-zero otherwise.
+ */
+int port_set_fault_timer_lin(struct port *port, int seconds);
+
 /**
  * Returns a port's last fault type.
  *