diff --git a/usr.bin/mail/popen.c b/usr.bin/mail/popen.c
index 18bf7e5a3aa5..c4d17461e48d 100644
--- a/usr.bin/mail/popen.c
+++ b/usr.bin/mail/popen.c
@@ -336,12 +336,14 @@ int
 wait_child(int pid)
 {
 	sigset_t nset, oset;
-	struct child *cp = findchild(pid);
+	struct child *cp;
 
 	(void)sigemptyset(&nset);
 	(void)sigaddset(&nset, SIGCHLD);
 	(void)sigprocmask(SIG_BLOCK, &nset, &oset);	
 
+	cp = findchild(pid);
+
 	while (!cp->done)
 		(void)sigsuspend(&oset);
 	wait_status = cp->status;