diff --git a/salt/utils/process.py b/salt/utils/process.py
index 9e60d0bad6d9..bb30d062f7de 100644
--- a/salt/utils/process.py
+++ b/salt/utils/process.py
@@ -672,8 +672,8 @@ def default_signals(*signals):
     old_signals = {}
     for signum in signals:
         try:
-            signal.signal(signum, signal.SIG_DFL)
             old_signals[signum] = signal.getsignal(signum)
+            signal.signal(signum, signal.SIG_DFL)
         except ValueError as exc:
             # This happens when a netapi module attempts to run a function
             # using wheel_async, because the process trying to register signals