diff --git a/trunk/ceph/mds/MDS.cc b/trunk/ceph/mds/MDS.cc
index c7b31cc4de0..298c50bf5ac 100644
--- a/trunk/ceph/mds/MDS.cc
+++ b/trunk/ceph/mds/MDS.cc
@@ -440,12 +440,6 @@ void MDS::handle_mds_map(MMDSMap *m)
   // decode and process
   mdsmap->decode(m->get_encoded());
 
-  // tell objecter my incarnation
-  if (objecter->get_client_incarnation() < 0) {
-    assert(mdsmap->get_inc(whoami) > 0);
-    objecter->set_client_incarnation(mdsmap->get_inc(whoami));
-  }
-
   // see who i am
   whoami = mdsmap->get_inst_rank(messenger->get_myaddr());
   if (oldwhoami != whoami) {
@@ -466,6 +460,13 @@ void MDS::handle_mds_map(MMDSMap *m)
     }
   }
 
+  // tell objecter my incarnation
+  if (objecter->get_client_incarnation() < 0 &&
+      mdsmap->have_inst(whoami)) {
+    assert(mdsmap->get_inc(whoami) > 0);
+    objecter->set_client_incarnation(mdsmap->get_inc(whoami));
+  }
+
   // update my state
   state = mdsmap->get_state(whoami);