diff --git a/drivers/net/appletalk/cops.c b/drivers/net/appletalk/cops.c
index ba8e70a8e3125d45b14d1aad19f87ee2d188ee45..6b12ce822e51a8da1d18a3c4ca55fb1a72ed7542 100644
--- a/drivers/net/appletalk/cops.c
+++ b/drivers/net/appletalk/cops.c
@@ -327,6 +327,8 @@ static int __init cops_probe1(struct net_device *dev, int ioaddr)
 			break;
 	}
 
+	dev->base_addr = ioaddr;
+
 	/* Reserve any actual interrupt. */
 	if (dev->irq) {
 		retval = request_irq(dev->irq, cops_interrupt, 0, dev->name, dev);
@@ -334,8 +336,6 @@ static int __init cops_probe1(struct net_device *dev, int ioaddr)
 			goto err_out;
 	}
 
-	dev->base_addr = ioaddr;
-
         lp = netdev_priv(dev);
         spin_lock_init(&lp->lock);