diff --git a/src/core/ngx_regex.c b/src/core/ngx_regex.c
index bebf3b6a8..91381f499 100644
--- a/src/core/ngx_regex.c
+++ b/src/core/ngx_regex.c
@@ -732,14 +732,14 @@ ngx_regex_create_conf(ngx_cycle_t *cycle)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    cln->handler = ngx_regex_cleanup;
-    cln->data = rcf;
-
     rcf->studies = ngx_list_create(cycle->pool, 8, sizeof(ngx_regex_elt_t));
     if (rcf->studies == NULL) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    cln->handler = ngx_regex_cleanup;
+    cln->data = rcf;
+
     ngx_regex_studies = rcf->studies;
 
     return rcf;