diff --git a/src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c b/src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c
index ea03fd2ecf..37c7d66881 100644
--- a/src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c
+++ b/src/backend/commands/tablecmds.c
@@ -13251,8 +13251,8 @@ RangeVarCallbackForAlterRelation(const RangeVar *rv, Oid relid, Oid oldrelid,
 		reltype = ((AlterTableStmt *) stmt)->relkind;
 	else
 	{
-		reltype = OBJECT_TABLE; /* placate compiler */
 		elog(ERROR, "unrecognized node type: %d", (int) nodeTag(stmt));
+		reltype = OBJECT_TABLE; /* placate compiler */
 	}
 
 	/*