diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gstinfo.c b/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gstinfo.c
index d11c558be6..bb5979c34e 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gstinfo.c
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer/gst/gstinfo.c
@@ -2942,7 +2942,6 @@ generate_backtrace_trace (void)
   char **strings;
   GString *trace;
 
-  trace = g_string_new (NULL);
   nptrs = backtrace (buffer, BT_BUF_SIZE);
 
   strings = backtrace_symbols (buffer, nptrs);
@@ -2950,6 +2949,8 @@ generate_backtrace_trace (void)
   if (!strings)
     return NULL;
 
+  trace = g_string_new (NULL);
+
   for (j = 0; j < nptrs; j++)
     g_string_append_printf (trace, "%s\n", strings[j]);