diff --git a/net/sched/cls_api.c b/net/sched/cls_api.c
index 9a789a057a74..b8ffb7e4f696 100644
--- a/net/sched/cls_api.c
+++ b/net/sched/cls_api.c
@@ -1656,10 +1656,10 @@ static int tcf_chain_tp_insert(struct tcf_chain *chain,
 	if (chain->flushing)
 		return -EAGAIN;
 
+	RCU_INIT_POINTER(tp->next, tcf_chain_tp_prev(chain, chain_info));
 	if (*chain_info->pprev == chain->filter_chain)
 		tcf_chain0_head_change(chain, tp);
 	tcf_proto_get(tp);
-	RCU_INIT_POINTER(tp->next, tcf_chain_tp_prev(chain, chain_info));
 	rcu_assign_pointer(*chain_info->pprev, tp);
 
 	return 0;