diff --git a/repos/base/src/lib/base/avl_tree.cc b/repos/base/src/lib/base/avl_tree.cc
index 16b2341d8d..4e20c0e3fb 100644
--- a/repos/base/src/lib/base/avl_tree.cc
+++ b/repos/base/src/lib/base/avl_tree.cc
@@ -47,13 +47,13 @@ void Avl_node_base::_rotate_subtree(Avl_node_base *node, Side side, Policy &poli
 	int i = (node == _child[0]) ? LEFT : RIGHT;
 
 	Avl_node_base *node_r   = node->_child[!side];
-	Avl_node_base *node_r_l = node_r->_child[side];
-
 	if (!node_r) {
 		error("avl rotation node_r is invalid");
 		return;
 	}
 
+	Avl_node_base *node_r_l = node_r->_child[side];
+
 	/* simple rotation */
 	if (node_r->_bias() == !side) {