diff --git a/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c b/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
index 8b248162d..c37c12bea 100644
--- a/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
+++ b/lib/nvme/nvme_pcie.c
@@ -2059,6 +2059,11 @@ nvme_pcie_qpair_process_completions(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t max_
 		spdk_mb();
 #endif
 
+		if (spdk_unlikely(++pqpair->cq_head == pqpair->num_entries)) {
+			pqpair->cq_head = 0;
+			pqpair->phase = !pqpair->phase;
+		}
+
 		tr = &pqpair->tr[cpl->cid];
 		pqpair->sq_head = cpl->sqhd;
 
@@ -2070,11 +2075,6 @@ nvme_pcie_qpair_process_completions(struct spdk_nvme_qpair *qpair, uint32_t max_
 			assert(0);
 		}
 
-		if (spdk_unlikely(++pqpair->cq_head == pqpair->num_entries)) {
-			pqpair->cq_head = 0;
-			pqpair->phase = !pqpair->phase;
-		}
-
 		if (++num_completions == max_completions) {
 			break;
 		}