diff --git a/sys/kern/subr_epoch.c b/sys/kern/subr_epoch.c
index 210cf78d55f..31b79513fdc 100644
--- a/sys/kern/subr_epoch.c
+++ b/sys/kern/subr_epoch.c
@@ -442,13 +442,14 @@ _epoch_enter_preempt(epoch_t epoch, epoch_tracker_t et EPOCH_FILE_LINE)
 	struct thread *td;
 
 	MPASS(cold || epoch != NULL);
-	MPASS(epoch->e_flags & EPOCH_PREEMPT);
 	td = curthread;
 	MPASS((vm_offset_t)et >= td->td_kstack &&
 	    (vm_offset_t)et + sizeof(struct epoch_tracker) <=
 	    td->td_kstack + td->td_kstack_pages * PAGE_SIZE);
 
 	INIT_CHECK(epoch);
+	MPASS(epoch->e_flags & EPOCH_PREEMPT);
+
 #ifdef EPOCH_TRACE
 	epoch_trace_enter(td, epoch, et, file, line);
 #endif