diff --git a/src/keyboard.c b/src/keyboard.c
index 2390c8199c1..df53edd4138 100644
--- a/src/keyboard.c
+++ b/src/keyboard.c
@@ -3474,15 +3474,12 @@ init_keyboard ()
   quit_char = Ctl ('g');
   unread_command_char = Qnil;
   total_keys = 0;
+  recent_keys_index = 0;
   kbd_fetch_ptr = kbd_buffer;
   kbd_store_ptr = kbd_buffer;
   do_mouse_tracking = 0;
   input_pending = 0;
 
-  recent_keys = Fmake_vector (make_number (NUM_RECENT_KEYS), Qnil);
-  staticpro (&recent_keys);
-  recent_keys_index = 0;
-
   if (!noninteractive)
     {
       signal (SIGINT, interrupt_signal);
@@ -3588,6 +3585,9 @@ syms_of_keyboard ()
       }
   }
 
+  recent_keys = Fmake_vector (make_number (NUM_RECENT_KEYS), Qnil);
+  staticpro (&recent_keys);
+
   func_key_syms = Qnil;
   staticpro (&func_key_syms);