diff --git a/gst/gstbuffer.c b/gst/gstbuffer.c
index 8e613072b8..696eddf8c0 100644
--- a/gst/gstbuffer.c
+++ b/gst/gstbuffer.c
@@ -2437,12 +2437,10 @@ gst_buffer_foreach_meta (GstBuffer * buffer, GstBufferForeachMetaFunc func,
 
       /* remove from list */
       if (GST_BUFFER_META (buffer) == walk)
-        GST_BUFFER_META (buffer) = next;
+        prev = GST_BUFFER_META (buffer) = next;
       else
         prev->next = next;
 
-      prev = next;
-
       /* call free_func if any */
       if (info->free_func)
         info->free_func (m, buffer);