diff --git a/fs/nfs/nfs3proc.c b/fs/nfs/nfs3proc.c
index a46d1d5d16d8..2397ceedba8a 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/nfs3proc.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/nfs3proc.c
@@ -179,11 +179,11 @@ nfs3_proc_lookup(struct inode *dir, struct dentry *dentry,
 	if (nfs_lookup_is_soft_revalidate(dentry))
 		task_flags |= RPC_TASK_TIMEOUT;
 
-	dprintk("NFS call  lookup %pd2\n", dentry);
 	res.dir_attr = nfs_alloc_fattr();
 	if (res.dir_attr == NULL)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
+	dprintk("NFS call  lookup %pd2\n", dentry);
 	nfs_fattr_init(fattr);
 	status = rpc_call_sync(NFS_CLIENT(dir), &msg, task_flags);
 	nfs_refresh_inode(dir, res.dir_attr);