diff --git a/Zend/zend_max_execution_timer.c b/Zend/zend_max_execution_timer.c
index b1c83e9cbb3a6..480631dcb169a 100644
--- a/Zend/zend_max_execution_timer.c
+++ b/Zend/zend_max_execution_timer.c
@@ -41,12 +41,13 @@ ZEND_API void zend_max_execution_timer_init(void) /* {{{ */
 	sev.sigev_signo = SIGRTMIN;
 	sev.sigev_notify_thread_id = (pid_t) syscall(SYS_gettid);
 
-	EG(pid) = getpid();
 	// Measure wall time instead of CPU time as originally planned now that it is possible https://github.com/php/php-src/pull/6504#issuecomment-1370303727
 	if (timer_create(CLOCK_BOOTTIME, &sev, &EG(max_execution_timer_timer)) != 0) {
 		zend_strerror_noreturn(E_ERROR, errno, "Could not create timer");
 	}
 
+	EG(pid) = getpid();
+
 #  ifdef MAX_EXECUTION_TIMERS_DEBUG
 		fprintf(stderr, "Timer %#jx created on thread %d\n", (uintmax_t) EG(max_execution_timer_timer), sev.sigev_notify_thread_id);
 #  endif