diff --git a/lib/tls.js b/lib/tls.js
index 47f2e0c54bb..832a001aeb5 100644
--- a/lib/tls.js
+++ b/lib/tls.js
@@ -719,10 +719,10 @@ SecurePair.prototype.maybeInitFinished = function() {
 
 
 SecurePair.prototype.destroy = function() {
-  var self = this;
-  var error = this.ssl.error;
-
   if (!this._doneFlag) {
+    var self = this;
+    var error = this.ssl.error;
+
     this._doneFlag = true;
     this.ssl.error = null;
     this.ssl.close();