diff --git a/core/state/trie_prefetcher.go b/core/state/trie_prefetcher.go
index 2c86fdbd18..6ce0e4102a 100644
--- a/core/state/trie_prefetcher.go
+++ b/core/state/trie_prefetcher.go
@@ -291,6 +291,9 @@ func (sf *subfetcher) loop() {
 		tasks := sf.tasks
 		sf.tasks = nil
 		sf.lock.Unlock()
+		if !keepRunning {
+			return
+		}
 		// Prefetch all tasks
 		for _, task := range tasks {
 			if _, ok := sf.seen[string(task)]; ok {
@@ -304,9 +307,5 @@ func (sf *subfetcher) loop() {
 			}
 			sf.seen[string(task)] = struct{}{}
 		}
-
-		if !keepRunning {
-			return
-		}
 	}
 }