diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_sysctl.c b/sys/kern/kern_sysctl.c
index 803951f2e287..f57cd5889023 100644
--- a/sys/kern/kern_sysctl.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_sysctl.c
@@ -166,6 +166,8 @@ sysctl_root_handler_locked(struct sysctl_oid *oid, void *arg1, intmax_t arg2,
 	if (!(oid->oid_kind & CTLFLAG_MPSAFE))
 		mtx_unlock(&Giant);
 
+	KFAIL_POINT_ERROR(_debug_fail_point, sysctl_running, error);
+
 	if (tracker != NULL)
 		SYSCTL_RLOCK(tracker);
 	else
@@ -1838,8 +1840,6 @@ sysctl_root(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS)
 #endif
 	error = sysctl_root_handler_locked(oid, arg1, arg2, req, &tracker);
 
-	KFAIL_POINT_ERROR(_debug_fail_point, sysctl_running, error);
-
 out:
 	SYSCTL_RUNLOCK(&tracker);
 	return (error);