diff --git a/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh b/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
index 1c201dcd..e59b25a6 100755
--- a/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
+++ b/devstack-vm-gate-wrap.sh
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
 GIT_BASE=${GIT_BASE:-https://git.openstack.org}
 GIT_BRANCH=${GIT_BRANCH:-master}
 
+# sshd may have been compiled with a default path excluding */sbin
+export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/sbin
+
 source $WORKSPACE/devstack-gate/functions.sh
 
 start_timer
@@ -94,9 +97,6 @@ export BASE=/opt/stack
 # The URL from which to fetch ZUUL references
 export ZUUL_URL=${ZUUL_URL:-http://zuul.openstack.org/p}
 
-# sshd may have been compiled with a default path excluding */sbin
-export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/sbin
-
 # Set this variable to skip updating the devstack-gate project itself.
 # Useful in development so you can edit scripts in place and run them
 # directly.  Do not set in production.