diff --git a/fs/afs/cell.c b/fs/afs/cell.c
index 52233fa6195f..887b673f6223 100644
--- a/fs/afs/cell.c
+++ b/fs/afs/cell.c
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ struct afs_cell *afs_use_cell(struct afs_cell *cell, enum afs_cell_trace reason)
  */
 void afs_unuse_cell(struct afs_net *net, struct afs_cell *cell, enum afs_cell_trace reason)
 {
-	unsigned int debug_id = cell->debug_id;
+	unsigned int debug_id;
 	time64_t now, expire_delay;
 	int u, a;
 
@@ -604,6 +604,7 @@ void afs_unuse_cell(struct afs_net *net, struct afs_cell *cell, enum afs_cell_tr
 	if (cell->vl_servers->nr_servers)
 		expire_delay = afs_cell_gc_delay;
 
+	debug_id = cell->debug_id;
 	u = atomic_read(&cell->ref);
 	a = atomic_dec_return(&cell->active);
 	trace_afs_cell(debug_id, u, a, reason);