diff --git a/lib/gssapi/mech/gss_get_mic.c b/lib/gssapi/mech/gss_get_mic.c
index 9cd5060fc..3a0f3fb75 100644
--- a/lib/gssapi/mech/gss_get_mic.c
+++ b/lib/gssapi/mech/gss_get_mic.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ gss_get_mic(OM_uint32 *minor_status,
     gss_buffer_t message_token)
 {
 	struct _gss_context *ctx = (struct _gss_context *) context_handle;
-	gssapi_mech_interface m = ctx->gc_mech;
+	gssapi_mech_interface m;
 
 	_mg_buffer_zero(message_token);
 	if (ctx == NULL) {
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ gss_get_mic(OM_uint32 *minor_status,
 	    return GSS_S_NO_CONTEXT;
 	}
 
+	m = ctx->gc_mech;
+
 	return (m->gm_get_mic(minor_status, ctx->gc_ctx, qop_req,
 		    message_buffer, message_token));
 }