diff --git a/arch/i386/kernel/nmi.c b/arch/i386/kernel/nmi.c
index 8c1c965eb2a8e4b6c54d0bb7db320303d6844144..c7227e2180f850bde4a04de8a0e4417045bd6be2 100644
--- a/arch/i386/kernel/nmi.c
+++ b/arch/i386/kernel/nmi.c
@@ -115,12 +115,12 @@ static int __init check_nmi_watchdog(void)
 			atomic_dec(&nmi_active);
 		}
 	}
+	endflag = 1;
 	if (!atomic_read(&nmi_active)) {
 		kfree(prev_nmi_count);
 		atomic_set(&nmi_active, -1);
 		return -1;
 	}
-	endflag = 1;
 	printk("OK.\n");
 
 	/* now that we know it works we can reduce NMI frequency to