diff --git a/drivers/char/misc.c b/drivers/char/misc.c
index 190d4423653f6b99690967ba3602915eda5463fb..fd504d3585968e01d5d85a0677ae6bd8ff07d410 100644
--- a/drivers/char/misc.c
+++ b/drivers/char/misc.c
@@ -143,8 +143,8 @@ static int misc_open(struct inode * inode, struct file * file)
 	err = 0;
 	old_fops = file->f_op;
 	file->f_op = new_fops;
+	file->private_data = c;
 	if (file->f_op->open) {
-		file->private_data = c;
 		err=file->f_op->open(inode,file);
 		if (err) {
 			fops_put(file->f_op);