diff --git a/drivers/staging/rtl8188eu/os_dep/osdep_service.c b/drivers/staging/rtl8188eu/os_dep/osdep_service.c
index 4e0bfb7e153b811b75227b9d864b96d49f48676c..51a1f6f9dbe78ec1be32a8b7e5012a2d7e10cf3c 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/rtl8188eu/os_dep/osdep_service.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/rtl8188eu/os_dep/osdep_service.c
@@ -627,13 +627,14 @@ void rtw_free_netdev(struct net_device *netdev)
 int rtw_change_ifname(struct adapter *padapter, const char *ifname)
 {
 	struct net_device *pnetdev;
-	struct net_device *cur_pnetdev = padapter->pnetdev;
+	struct net_device *cur_pnetdev;
 	struct rereg_nd_name_data *rereg_priv;
 	int ret;
 
 	if (!padapter)
 		goto error;
 
+	cur_pnetdev = padapter->pnetdev;
 	rereg_priv = &padapter->rereg_nd_name_priv;
 
 	/* free the old_pnetdev */