diff --git a/ext/standard/string.c b/ext/standard/string.c
index eed9184d7be..278aadc1d57 100644
--- a/ext/standard/string.c
+++ b/ext/standard/string.c
@@ -860,15 +860,15 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(implode)
 	}
 
 	if (argc == 1) {
-		MAKE_STD_ZVAL(delim);
-#define _IMPL_EMPTY ""
-		ZVAL_STRINGL(delim, _IMPL_EMPTY, sizeof(_IMPL_EMPTY) - 1, 0);
-
 		if (Z_TYPE_PP(arg1) != IS_ARRAY) {
 			php_error_docref(NULL TSRMLS_CC, E_WARNING, "Argument to implode must be an array.");
 			return;
 		}
 
+		MAKE_STD_ZVAL(delim);
+#define _IMPL_EMPTY ""
+		ZVAL_STRINGL(delim, _IMPL_EMPTY, sizeof(_IMPL_EMPTY) - 1, 0);
+
 		SEPARATE_ZVAL(arg1);
 		arr = *arg1;
 	} else {