diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/autovacuum.c b/src/backend/postmaster/autovacuum.c
index 89dd3b3..8a41a98 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/autovacuum.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/autovacuum.c
@@ -502,6 +502,28 @@ AutoVacLauncherMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 	MemoryContextSwitchTo(AutovacMemCxt);
 
 	/*
+	 * Set up our DSA so that backends can install work-item requests.  It may
+	 * already exist as created by a previous launcher.
+	 */
+	if (!AutoVacuumShmem->av_dsa_handle)
+	{
+		LWLockAcquire(AutovacuumLock, LW_EXCLUSIVE);
+		AutoVacuumDSA = dsa_create(AutovacuumLock->tranche);
+		/* make sure it doesn't go away even if we do */
+		dsa_pin(AutoVacuumDSA);
+		dsa_pin_mapping(AutoVacuumDSA);
+		AutoVacuumShmem->av_dsa_handle = dsa_get_handle(AutoVacuumDSA);
+		/* delay array allocation until first request */
+		AutoVacuumShmem->av_workitems = InvalidDsaPointer;
+		LWLockRelease(AutovacuumLock);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		AutoVacuumDSA = dsa_attach(AutoVacuumShmem->av_dsa_handle);
+		dsa_pin_mapping(AutoVacuumDSA);
+	}
+
+	/*
 	 * If an exception is encountered, processing resumes here.
 	 *
 	 * This code is a stripped down version of PostgresMain error recovery.
@@ -610,28 +632,6 @@ AutoVacLauncherMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 	 */
 	rebuild_database_list(InvalidOid);
 
-	/*
-	 * Set up our DSA so that backends can install work-item requests.  It may
-	 * already exist as created by a previous launcher.
-	 */
-	if (!AutoVacuumShmem->av_dsa_handle)
-	{
-		LWLockAcquire(AutovacuumLock, LW_EXCLUSIVE);
-		AutoVacuumDSA = dsa_create(AutovacuumLock->tranche);
-		/* make sure it doesn't go away even if we do */
-		dsa_pin(AutoVacuumDSA);
-		dsa_pin_mapping(AutoVacuumDSA);
-		AutoVacuumShmem->av_dsa_handle = dsa_get_handle(AutoVacuumDSA);
-		/* delay array allocation until first request */
-		AutoVacuumShmem->av_workitems = InvalidDsaPointer;
-		LWLockRelease(AutovacuumLock);
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		AutoVacuumDSA = dsa_attach(AutoVacuumShmem->av_dsa_handle);
-		dsa_pin_mapping(AutoVacuumDSA);
-	}
-
 	/* loop until shutdown request */
 	while (!got_SIGTERM)
 	{