diff --git a/src/core/memp.c b/src/core/memp.c
index 515df2d6..799ed51b 100644
--- a/src/core/memp.c
+++ b/src/core/memp.c
@@ -339,13 +339,13 @@ do_memp_malloc_pool_fn(const struct memp_desc *desc, const char* file, const int
     /* cast through u8_t* to get rid of alignment warnings */
     return ((u8_t*)memp + MEMP_SIZE);
   } else {
-    LWIP_DEBUGF(MEMP_DEBUG | LWIP_DBG_LEVEL_SERIOUS, ("memp_malloc: out of memory in pool %s\n", desc->desc));
 #if MEMP_STATS
     desc->stats->err++;
 #endif
+    SYS_ARCH_UNPROTECT(old_level);
+    LWIP_DEBUGF(MEMP_DEBUG | LWIP_DBG_LEVEL_SERIOUS, ("memp_malloc: out of memory in pool %s\n", desc->desc));
   }
 
-  SYS_ARCH_UNPROTECT(old_level);
   return NULL;
 }