diff --git a/rcl/src/rcl/init.c b/rcl/src/rcl/init.c
index 0cb92bb2f..b3065f27e 100644
--- a/rcl/src/rcl/init.c
+++ b/rcl/src/rcl/init.c
@@ -241,15 +241,15 @@ rcl_shutdown(rcl_context_t * context)
     return RCL_RET_ALREADY_SHUTDOWN;
   }
 
-  // reset the instance id to 0 to indicate "invalid"
-  rcutils_atomic_store((atomic_uint_least64_t *)(&context->instance_id_storage), 0);
-
   rmw_ret_t rmw_ret = rmw_shutdown(&(context->impl->rmw_context));
   if (RMW_RET_OK != rmw_ret) {
     RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG(rmw_get_error_string().str);
     return rcl_convert_rmw_ret_to_rcl_ret(rmw_ret);
   }
 
+  // reset the instance id to 0 to indicate "invalid"
+  rcutils_atomic_store((atomic_uint_least64_t *)(&context->instance_id_storage), 0);
+
   return RCL_RET_OK;
 }