diff --git a/dlls/ntdll/reg.c b/dlls/ntdll/reg.c
index 5a1f5c21ec1..e77c48a382d 100644
--- a/dlls/ntdll/reg.c
+++ b/dlls/ntdll/reg.c
@@ -55,13 +55,13 @@ NTSTATUS WINAPI NtCreateKey( PHANDLE retkey, ACCESS_MASK access, const OBJECT_AT
 {
     NTSTATUS ret;
 
-    TRACE( "(%p,%s,%s,%lx,%lx,%p)\n", attr->RootDirectory, debugstr_us(attr->ObjectName),
-           debugstr_us(class), options, access, retkey );
-
     if (!retkey || !attr) return STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION;
     if (attr->Length > sizeof(OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES)) return STATUS_INVALID_PARAMETER;
     if (attr->ObjectName->Length > MAX_NAME_LENGTH) return STATUS_BUFFER_OVERFLOW;
 
+    TRACE( "(%p,%s,%s,%lx,%lx,%p)\n", attr->RootDirectory, debugstr_us(attr->ObjectName),
+           debugstr_us(class), options, access, retkey );
+
     SERVER_START_REQ( create_key )
     {
         req->parent     = attr->RootDirectory;