diff --git a/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_overlay.c b/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_overlay.c
index ad23153e22..b4fb258f6c 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_overlay.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/slapi/slapi_overlay.c
@@ -454,11 +454,11 @@ slapi_over_merge_controls( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 	n_slapi_ctrls = slapi_int_count_controls( slapi_ctrls );
 	n_rs_ctrls = slapi_int_count_controls( rs->sr_ctrls );
 
-	slapi_pblock_set( pb, SLAPI_X_OLD_RESCONTROLS, (void *)rs->sr_ctrls );
-
 	if ( n_slapi_ctrls == 0 )
 		return LDAP_SUCCESS; /* no SLAPI controls */
 
+	slapi_pblock_set( pb, SLAPI_X_OLD_RESCONTROLS, (void *)rs->sr_ctrls );
+
 	ctrls = (LDAPControl **) op->o_tmpalloc(
 		( n_slapi_ctrls + n_rs_ctrls + 1 ) * sizeof(LDAPControl *),
 		op->o_tmpmemctx );