diff --git a/sys/dev/raidframe/rf_paritylog.c b/sys/dev/raidframe/rf_paritylog.c
index 459b5686c772..87c33e6d71af 100644
--- a/sys/dev/raidframe/rf_paritylog.c
+++ b/sys/dev/raidframe/rf_paritylog.c
@@ -690,9 +690,9 @@ rf_ParityLogAppend(
 	 * 
 	 * NON-BLOCKING */
 
+	RF_ASSERT(logData != NULL);
 	raidPtr = logData->common->raidPtr;
 	/* lock the region for the first item in logData */
-	RF_ASSERT(logData != NULL);
 	regionID = logData->regionID;
 	RF_LOCK_MUTEX(raidPtr->regionInfo[regionID].mutex);
 	RF_ASSERT(raidPtr->regionInfo[regionID].loggingEnabled);