diff --git a/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/ExtensionRegistryLite.java b/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/ExtensionRegistryLite.java
index 6529071e244d..46a13b4b9dac 100644
--- a/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/ExtensionRegistryLite.java
+++ b/java/core/src/main/java/com/google/protobuf/ExtensionRegistryLite.java
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ public static ExtensionRegistryLite getEmptyRegistry() {
       synchronized (ExtensionRegistryLite.class) {
         result = emptyRegistry;
         if (result == null) {
-          result = emptyRegistry = ExtensionRegistryFactory.createEmpty();
+          emptyRegistry = result = ExtensionRegistryFactory.createEmpty();
         }
       }
     }