diff --git a/kernel/rcutorture.c b/kernel/rcutorture.c
index 5cfa23be43bd..ed1c72bd9c09 100644
--- a/kernel/rcutorture.c
+++ b/kernel/rcutorture.c
@@ -1000,12 +1000,12 @@ static void rcu_torture_timer(unsigned long unused)
 				  rcu_read_lock_bh_held() ||
 				  rcu_read_lock_sched_held() ||
 				  srcu_read_lock_held(&srcu_ctl));
-	do_trace_rcu_torture_read(cur_ops->name, &p->rtort_rcu);
 	if (p == NULL) {
 		/* Leave because rcu_torture_writer is not yet underway */
 		cur_ops->readunlock(idx);
 		return;
 	}
+	do_trace_rcu_torture_read(cur_ops->name, &p->rtort_rcu);
 	if (p->rtort_mbtest == 0)
 		atomic_inc(&n_rcu_torture_mberror);
 	spin_lock(&rand_lock);
@@ -1063,13 +1063,13 @@ rcu_torture_reader(void *arg)
 					  rcu_read_lock_bh_held() ||
 					  rcu_read_lock_sched_held() ||
 					  srcu_read_lock_held(&srcu_ctl));
-		do_trace_rcu_torture_read(cur_ops->name, &p->rtort_rcu);
 		if (p == NULL) {
 			/* Wait for rcu_torture_writer to get underway */
 			cur_ops->readunlock(idx);
 			schedule_timeout_interruptible(HZ);
 			continue;
 		}
+		do_trace_rcu_torture_read(cur_ops->name, &p->rtort_rcu);
 		if (p->rtort_mbtest == 0)
 			atomic_inc(&n_rcu_torture_mberror);
 		cur_ops->read_delay(&rand);