diff --git a/lib/base/socketevents.cpp b/lib/base/socketevents.cpp
index 76b288d03..f68e056ea 100644
--- a/lib/base/socketevents.cpp
+++ b/lib/base/socketevents.cpp
@@ -96,11 +96,11 @@ void SocketEvents::InitializeEngine(void)
 		l_SocketIOEngine = new SocketEventEngineEpoll();
 #endif /* __linux__ */
 	else {
-		eventEngine = "poll";
-
 		Log(LogWarning, "SocketEvents")
 		    << "Invalid event engine selected: " << eventEngine << " - Falling back to 'poll'";
 
+		eventEngine = "poll";
+
 		l_SocketIOEngine = new SocketEventEnginePoll();
 	}