diff --git a/lisp/subr.el b/lisp/subr.el
index fcf03dd4f67..6f2dcb8c16d 100644
--- a/lisp/subr.el
+++ b/lisp/subr.el
@@ -1148,8 +1148,8 @@ side-effects, and the argument LIST is not modified."
                              (make-symbol "f")))
                      (r (make-symbol "r")))
                 `(let (,@(and f `((,f ,pred)))
-                       (,tail ,list)
-                       (,r nil))
+                       (,r nil)
+                       (,tail ,list))
                    (while (and ,tail (funcall ,(or f pred) (car ,tail)))
                      (push (car ,tail) ,r)
                      (setq ,tail (cdr ,tail)))