diff --git a/drivers/net/ns83820.c b/drivers/net/ns83820.c
index 717d8e9b9833..104aab3c957f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ns83820.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ns83820.c
@@ -1831,11 +1831,13 @@ static int __devinit ns83820_init_one(struct pci_dev *pci_dev, const struct pci_
 
 	ndev = alloc_etherdev(sizeof(struct ns83820));
 	dev = PRIV(ndev);
-	dev->ndev = ndev;
+
 	err = -ENOMEM;
 	if (!dev)
 		goto out;
 
+	dev->ndev = ndev;
+
 	spin_lock_init(&dev->rx_info.lock);
 	spin_lock_init(&dev->tx_lock);
 	spin_lock_init(&dev->misc_lock);