diff --git a/core/txpool/locals/journal.go b/core/txpool/locals/journal.go
index 8db0fe94a0..aac59bd91f 100644
--- a/core/txpool/locals/journal.go
+++ b/core/txpool/locals/journal.go
@@ -119,10 +119,11 @@ func (journal *journal) load(add func([]*types.Transaction) []error) error {
 
 func (journal *journal) setupWriter() error {
 	if journal.writer != nil {
-		if err := journal.writer.Close(); err != nil {
+		err := journal.writer.Close()
+		journal.writer = nil
+		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		journal.writer = nil
 	}
 
 	// Re-open the journal file for appending