diff --git a/fs/nfs/client.c b/fs/nfs/client.c
index af838d1ed281..35abe63655a9 100644
--- a/fs/nfs/client.c
+++ b/fs/nfs/client.c
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ struct nfs_client *nfs_alloc_client(const struct nfs_client_initdata *cl_init)
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&clp->cl_superblocks);
 	clp->cl_rpcclient = ERR_PTR(-EINVAL);
 
+	clp->cl_flags = cl_init->init_flags;
 	clp->cl_proto = cl_init->proto;
 	clp->cl_nconnect = cl_init->nconnect;
 	clp->cl_net = get_net(cl_init->net);
@@ -419,7 +420,6 @@ struct nfs_client *nfs_get_client(const struct nfs_client_initdata *cl_init)
 			list_add_tail(&new->cl_share_link,
 					&nn->nfs_client_list);
 			spin_unlock(&nn->nfs_client_lock);
-			new->cl_flags = cl_init->init_flags;
 			return rpc_ops->init_client(new, cl_init);
 		}