diff --git a/src/mime/backend/mailcap.c b/src/mime/backend/mailcap.c
index 9b92e9724..347417d6f 100644
--- a/src/mime/backend/mailcap.c
+++ b/src/mime/backend/mailcap.c
@@ -683,7 +683,6 @@ get_mime_handler_mailcap(unsigned char *type, struct terminal *term)
 #if defined(HAVE_SYS_IPC_H) && defined(HAVE_SYS_SEM_H) && defined(HAVE_SYS_SHM_H)
 	if (!shared_mem)
 		return NULL;
-	shared_mem[0] = '\0'; /* For unexpected death of slave. */
 	len = strlen(type) + 1;
 	data = fmem_alloc(2 + len);
 	if (!data)
@@ -694,6 +693,7 @@ get_mime_handler_mailcap(unsigned char *type, struct terminal *term)
 	hard_write(term->fdout, data, len + 2);
 	fmem_free(data);
 
+	shared_mem[0] = '\0'; /* For unexpected death of slave. */
 	sem_wait(master_sem);
 	if (!*shared_mem)
 		return NULL;