diff --git a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteServer.scala b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteServer.scala
index 3763bcb17b..0c8b305364 100644
--- a/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteServer.scala
+++ b/akka-remote/src/main/scala/remote/RemoteServer.scala
@@ -354,8 +354,8 @@ class RemoteServer extends Logging with ListenerManagement {
       if (id.startsWith(UUID_PREFIX)) {
         actorsByUuid().remove(id.substring(UUID_PREFIX.length)) 
       } else {
+        val actorRef = actors().get(id)
         if (actorRef.registeredInRemoteNodeDuringSerialization) {
-          val actorRef = actors().get(id)
           actorsByUuid() remove actorRef.uuid
         }
         actors() remove id