diff --git a/wp-includes/load.php b/wp-includes/load.php
index 6e49bfd67d..e46b9de60e 100644
--- a/wp-includes/load.php
+++ b/wp-includes/load.php
@@ -348,9 +348,10 @@ function wp_set_wpdb_vars() {
  * @since 3.0.0
  */
 function wp_start_object_cache() {
+	global $_wp_using_ext_object_cache;
+
 	$first_init = false;
  	if ( ! function_exists( 'wp_cache_init' ) ) {
-		global $_wp_using_ext_object_cache;
 		if ( file_exists( WP_CONTENT_DIR . '/object-cache.php' ) ) {
 			require_once ( WP_CONTENT_DIR . '/object-cache.php' );
 			$_wp_using_ext_object_cache = true;