diff --git a/sys/kern/tty_pty.c b/sys/kern/tty_pty.c
index 37a3126fbe10..86720776e207 100644
--- a/sys/kern/tty_pty.c
+++ b/sys/kern/tty_pty.c
@@ -143,12 +143,13 @@ ptyinit(dev_t devc)
 	struct pt_ioctl *pt;
 	int n;
 
-	devc->si_flags &= ~SI_CHEAPCLONE;
 	n = minor(devc);
 	/* For now we only map the lower 8 bits of the minor */
 	if (n & ~0xff)
 		return (NODEV);
 
+	devc->si_flags &= ~SI_CHEAPCLONE;
+
 	pt = malloc(sizeof(*pt), M_PTY, M_WAITOK | M_ZERO);
 	pt->devs = devs = make_dev(&pts_cdevsw, n,
 	    UID_ROOT, GID_WHEEL, 0666, "tty%c%r", names[n / 32], n % 32);