diff --git a/flang/lib/Lower/Bridge.cpp b/flang/lib/Lower/Bridge.cpp
index 579f94ba75684..7577c49fbbc16 100644
--- a/flang/lib/Lower/Bridge.cpp
+++ b/flang/lib/Lower/Bridge.cpp
@@ -3115,10 +3115,10 @@ class FirConverter : public Fortran::lower::AbstractConverter {
         hlfir::Entity nullBoxProc(
             fir::factory::createNullBoxProc(*builder, loc, boxTy));
         builder->createStoreWithConvert(loc, nullBoxProc, pptr);
-        return;
+      } else {
+        fir::MutableBoxValue box = genExprMutableBox(loc, *expr);
+        fir::factory::disassociateMutableBox(*builder, loc, box);
       }
-      fir::MutableBoxValue box = genExprMutableBox(loc, *expr);
-      fir::factory::disassociateMutableBox(*builder, loc, box);
     }
   }