diff --git a/Python/legacy_tracing.c b/Python/legacy_tracing.c
index bafc2356280b37..d308a2a40992c6 100644
--- a/Python/legacy_tracing.c
+++ b/Python/legacy_tracing.c
@@ -594,10 +594,10 @@ _PyEval_SetTrace(PyThreadState *tstate, Py_tracefunc func, PyObject *arg)
     if (_PySys_Audit(current_tstate, "sys.settrace", NULL) < 0) {
         return -1;
     }
-    assert(tstate->interp->sys_tracing_threads >= 0);
     // needs to be decref'd outside of the lock
     PyObject *old_traceobj;
     LOCK_SETUP();
+    assert(tstate->interp->sys_tracing_threads >= 0);
     Py_ssize_t tracing_threads = setup_tracing(tstate, func, arg, &old_traceobj);
     UNLOCK_SETUP();
     Py_XDECREF(old_traceobj);