diff --git a/lib/list.c b/lib/list.c
index 92207d0c..28d70986 100644
--- a/lib/list.c
+++ b/lib/list.c
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ list_insert_head(struct list_head *h, void *elem, struct list_entry *e)
 {
         list_check2(h, elem, e, false);
         if (h->first == NULL) {
-                e->next = NULL;
                 h->tailnextp = &e->next;
         } else {
                 uintptr_t offset = (uintptr_t)e - (uintptr_t)elem;
@@ -85,9 +84,9 @@ list_insert_head(struct list_head *h, void *elem, struct list_entry *e)
                         (void *)((uintptr_t)h->first + offset);
                 assert(firstentry->prevnextp == &h->first);
                 firstentry->prevnextp = &e->next;
-                e->next = h->first;
-                e->prevnextp = &h->first;
         }
+        e->next = h->first;
+        e->prevnextp = &h->first;
         h->first = elem;
         assert(h->first != NULL);
         assert(*e->prevnextp == elem);