diff --git a/src/element.c b/src/element.c
index 32917db..2306695 100644
--- a/src/element.c
+++ b/src/element.c
@@ -322,8 +322,8 @@ void element_check_if_dead(struct element_group *g,
 			   struct element *e, void *arg)
 {
 	if (--(e->e_lifecycles) <= 0) {
-		element_free(e);
 		DBG("Deleting dead element %s", e->e_name);
+		element_free(e);
 	}
 }