diff --git a/mm/vmscan.c b/mm/vmscan.c
index 88c5fed8b9a4..669fba39be1a 100644
--- a/mm/vmscan.c
+++ b/mm/vmscan.c
@@ -3188,9 +3188,9 @@ int kswapd_run(int nid)
 	if (IS_ERR(pgdat->kswapd)) {
 		/* failure at boot is fatal */
 		BUG_ON(system_state == SYSTEM_BOOTING);
-		pgdat->kswapd = NULL;
 		pr_err("Failed to start kswapd on node %d\n", nid);
 		ret = PTR_ERR(pgdat->kswapd);
+		pgdat->kswapd = NULL;
 	}
 	return ret;
 }