diff --git a/ext/spl/spl_iterators.c b/ext/spl/spl_iterators.c
index 251f5999a38..73c6a87e213 100644
--- a/ext/spl/spl_iterators.c
+++ b/ext/spl/spl_iterators.c
@@ -441,20 +441,18 @@ static const zend_object_iterator_funcs spl_recursive_it_iterator_funcs = {
 
 static zend_object_iterator *spl_recursive_it_get_iterator(zend_class_entry *ce, zval *zobject, int by_ref)
 {
-	spl_recursive_it_iterator *iterator;
-	spl_recursive_it_object *object;
-
 	if (by_ref) {
 		zend_throw_error(NULL, "An iterator cannot be used with foreach by reference");
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	iterator = emalloc(sizeof(spl_recursive_it_iterator));
-	object   = Z_SPLRECURSIVE_IT_P(zobject);
+
+	spl_recursive_it_object *object = Z_SPLRECURSIVE_IT_P(zobject);
 	if (object->iterators == NULL) {
 		zend_throw_error(NULL, "Object is not initialized");
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
+	spl_recursive_it_iterator *iterator = emalloc(sizeof(spl_recursive_it_iterator));
 	zend_iterator_init((zend_object_iterator*)iterator);
 
 	ZVAL_OBJ_COPY(&iterator->intern.data, Z_OBJ_P(zobject));
diff --git a/ext/spl/tests/RecursiveIteratorIterator_not_initialized.phpt b/ext/spl/tests/RecursiveIteratorIterator_not_initialized.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4e90692843d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/spl/tests/RecursiveIteratorIterator_not_initialized.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+--TEST--
+Iterating an uninitialized RecursiveIteratorIterator
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+$rc = new ReflectionClass(RecursiveIteratorIterator::class);
+$it = $rc->newInstanceWithoutConstructor();
+try {
+    foreach ($it as $v) {}
+} catch (Error $e) {
+    echo $e->getMessage(), "\n";
+}
+
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+Object is not initialized