diff --git a/ext/opcache/Optimizer/dfa_pass.c b/ext/opcache/Optimizer/dfa_pass.c
index 63785d6b378..7335c6a12b6 100644
--- a/ext/opcache/Optimizer/dfa_pass.c
+++ b/ext/opcache/Optimizer/dfa_pass.c
@@ -470,6 +470,15 @@ void zend_dfa_optimize_op_array(zend_op_array *op_array, zend_optimizer_ctx *ctx
 			}
 		}
 
+		if (ZEND_OPTIMIZER_PASS_14 & ctx->optimization_level) {
+			if (dce_optimize_op_array(op_array, ssa, 0)) {
+				remove_nops = 1;
+			}
+			if (ctx->debug_level & ZEND_DUMP_AFTER_PASS_14) {
+				zend_dump_op_array(op_array, ZEND_DUMP_SSA, "after dce pass", ssa);
+			}
+		}
+
 		for (v = op_array->last_var; v < ssa->vars_count; v++) {
 
 			op_1 = ssa->vars[v].definition;
@@ -719,15 +728,6 @@ void zend_dfa_optimize_op_array(zend_op_array *op_array, zend_optimizer_ctx *ctx
 			}
 		}
 
-		if (ZEND_OPTIMIZER_PASS_14 & ctx->optimization_level) {
-			if (dce_optimize_op_array(op_array, ssa, 0)) {
-				remove_nops = 1;
-			}
-			if (ctx->debug_level & ZEND_DUMP_AFTER_PASS_14) {
-				zend_dump_op_array(op_array, ZEND_DUMP_SSA, "after dce pass", ssa);
-			}
-		}
-
 		if (remove_nops) {
 			zend_ssa_remove_nops(op_array, ssa);
 		}