diff --git a/servers/slapd/overlays/refint.c b/servers/slapd/overlays/refint.c
index 2b83cef5e1..e83fca12e2 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/overlays/refint.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/overlays/refint.c
@@ -506,11 +506,11 @@ refint_qtask( void *ctx, void *arg )
 		**
 		*/
 
-		op->orm_modlist = NULL;
-
 		for(dp = rq->attrs; dp; dp = dp->next) {
 			Modifications *m, *first = NULL;
 
+			op->orm_modlist = NULL;
+
 			op->o_req_dn	= dp->dn;
 			op->o_req_ndn	= dp->ndn;
 			op->o_bd = select_backend(&dp->ndn, 0, 1);