diff --git a/source3/libsmb/namecache.c b/source3/libsmb/namecache.c
index e3e7ac4e3c2..ec8a1900d87 100644
--- a/source3/libsmb/namecache.c
+++ b/source3/libsmb/namecache.c
@@ -178,14 +178,14 @@ BOOL namecache_fetch(const char *name, int name_type, struct ip_service **ip_lis
 	char *key, *value;
 	time_t timeout;
 
-	*num_names = 0;
-
 	/* exit now if null pointers were passed as they're required further */
 	if (!ip_list || !num_names) return False;
 
 	if (!gencache_init())
 		return False;
 
+	*num_names = 0;
+
 	/* 
 	 * Use gencache interface - lookup the key
 	 */