diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index fddddf48..620b4b62 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -1039,11 +1039,11 @@ func (cl *Client) newTorrent(ih metainfo.Hash, specStorage storage.ClientImpl) (
 		maxEstablishedConns: cl.config.EstablishedConnsPerTorrent,
 
 		networkingEnabled: true,
-		requestStrategy:   cl.config.DefaultRequestStrategy(t.requestStrategyCallbacks()),
 		metadataChanged: sync.Cond{
 			L: cl.locker(),
 		},
 	}
+	t.requestStrategy = cl.config.DefaultRequestStrategy(t.requestStrategyCallbacks())
 	t.logger = cl.logger.WithValues(t).WithText(func(m log.Msg) string {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("%v: %s", t, m.Text())
 	})