diff --git a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/search.c b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/search.c
index ce639d26bc..bbd63bd3d3 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/back-bdb/search.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/back-bdb/search.c
@@ -343,13 +343,13 @@ dn2entry_retry:
 			scope, deref, candidates );
 	}
 
-	/* need normalized dn below */
-	ber_dupbv( &realbase, &e->e_nname );
-
 	/* start cursor at beginning of candidates.
 	 */
 	cursor = 0;
 
+	/* need normalized dn below */
+	ber_dupbv( &realbase, &e->e_nname );
+
 	if ( e != &slap_entry_root ) {
 		bdb_cache_return_entry_r(bdb->bi_dbenv, &bdb->bi_cache, e, &lock);
 	}