diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c
index 176dd904e..f9852412f 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c
@@ -308,9 +308,6 @@ static void on_start(void *data, uint32_t version)
 	if (version == 0)
 		client->compat_v2 = &this->compat_v2;
 
-	if (pw_client_register(client, NULL) < 0)
-		return;
-
 	return;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/client.c b/src/pipewire/client.c
index 6f58d938a..ea487b1a9 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/client.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/client.c
@@ -343,6 +343,9 @@ struct pw_client *pw_client_new(struct pw_core *core,
 
 	pw_core_emit_check_access(core, this);
 
+	if ((res = pw_client_register(this, NULL)) < 0)
+		goto error_clear_array;
+
 	return this;
 
 error_clear_array: