diff --git a/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua b/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
index fdf6ae98529f..c184d99c132f 100644
--- a/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
+++ b/kong/clustering/services/sync/rpc.lua
@@ -319,8 +319,8 @@ local function do_sync(premature)
 end
 
 
-function _M:sync_once(delay)
-  local hdl, err = ngx.timer.at(delay or 0, do_sync)
+local function start_sync_timer(timer_func, delay)
+  local hdl, err = timer_func(delay or 0, do_sync)
 
   if not hdl then
     return nil, err
@@ -330,14 +330,13 @@ function _M:sync_once(delay)
 end
 
 
-function _M:sync_every(delay)
-  local hdl, err = ngx.timer.every(delay, do_sync)
+function _M:sync_once(delay)
+  return start_sync_timer(ngx.timer.at, delay or 0)
+end
 
-  if not hdl then
-    return nil, err
-  end
 
-  return true
+function _M:sync_every(delay)
+  return start_sync_timer(ngx.timer.every, delay)
 end