diff --git a/init/main.c b/init/main.c
index 517b76447950..d1cd8efb8238 100644
--- a/init/main.c
+++ b/init/main.c
@@ -548,12 +548,12 @@ static int __init unknown_bootoption(char *param, char *val,
 		/* Environment option */
 		unsigned int i;
 		for (i = 0; envp_init[i]; i++) {
+			if (!strncmp(param, envp_init[i], len+1))
+				break;
 			if (i == MAX_INIT_ENVS) {
 				panic_later = "env";
 				panic_param = param;
 			}
-			if (!strncmp(param, envp_init[i], len+1))
-				break;
 		}
 		envp_init[i] = param;
 	} else {