diff --git a/grub-core/loader/efi/linux.c b/grub-core/loader/efi/linux.c
index 7ca80635c..36dea2931 100644
--- a/grub-core/loader/efi/linux.c
+++ b/grub-core/loader/efi/linux.c
@@ -492,6 +492,8 @@ grub_cmd_linux (grub_command_t cmd __attribute__ ((unused)),
   if (!file)
     goto fail;
 
+  grub_loader_unset();
+
   kernel_size = grub_file_size (file);
 
   if (grub_arch_efi_linux_load_image_header (file, &lh) != GRUB_ERR_NONE)
@@ -514,8 +516,6 @@ fallback:
     }
 #endif
 
-  grub_loader_unset();
-
   grub_dprintf ("linux", "kernel file size: %lld\n", (long long) kernel_size);
   kernel_addr = grub_efi_allocate_any_pages (GRUB_EFI_BYTES_TO_PAGES (kernel_size));
   grub_dprintf ("linux", "kernel numpages: %lld\n",