diff --git a/ui/console.c b/ui/console.c
index 08bed58b80..a9a922b6e3 100644
--- a/ui/console.c
+++ b/ui/console.c
@@ -2193,10 +2193,10 @@ QemuConsole *graphic_console_init(DeviceState *dev, uint32_t head,
     } else {
         trace_console_gfx_new();
         s = (QemuConsole *)object_new(TYPE_QEMU_GRAPHIC_CONSOLE);
-        s->head = head;
         s->ui_timer = timer_new_ms(QEMU_CLOCK_REALTIME,
                                    dpy_set_ui_info_timer, s);
     }
+    s->head = head;
     graphic_console_set_hwops(s, hw_ops, opaque);
     if (dev) {
         object_property_set_link(OBJECT(s), "device", OBJECT(dev),