if (!dev->ethtool_ops->get_pauseparam)
                return -EOPNOTSUPP;
 
+       ethtool_stats_init((u64 *)&data->pausestat,
+                          sizeof(data->pausestat) / 8);
+
        ret = ethnl_ops_begin(dev);
        if (ret < 0)
                return ret;
        dev->ethtool_ops->get_pauseparam(dev, &data->pauseparam);
        if (req_base->flags & ETHTOOL_FLAG_STATS &&
-           dev->ethtool_ops->get_pause_stats) {
-               ethtool_stats_init((u64 *)&data->pausestat,
-                                  sizeof(data->pausestat) / 8);
+           dev->ethtool_ops->get_pause_stats)
                dev->ethtool_ops->get_pause_stats(dev, &data->pausestat);
-       }
        ethnl_ops_complete(dev);
 
        return 0;