diff --git a/fs/binfmt_misc.c b/fs/binfmt_misc.c
index 756205314c24..8d7e88e02e0f 100644
--- a/fs/binfmt_misc.c
+++ b/fs/binfmt_misc.c
@@ -120,8 +120,6 @@ static int load_misc_binary(struct linux_binprm *bprm, struct pt_regs *regs)
 	if (bprm->misc_bang)
 		goto _ret;
 
-	bprm->misc_bang = 1;
-
 	/* to keep locking time low, we copy the interpreter string */
 	read_lock(&entries_lock);
 	fmt = check_file(bprm);
@@ -199,6 +197,8 @@ static int load_misc_binary(struct linux_binprm *bprm, struct pt_regs *regs)
 	if (retval < 0)
 		goto _error;
 
+	bprm->misc_bang = 1;
+
 	retval = search_binary_handler (bprm, regs);
 	if (retval < 0)
 		goto _error;