diff --git a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
index 98ed27bbd045..d27d5a880015 100644
--- a/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
+++ b/kernel/bpf/verifier.c
@@ -6982,12 +6982,13 @@ int bpf_check(struct bpf_prog **prog, union bpf_attr *attr,
 	while (!pop_stack(env, NULL, NULL));
 	free_states(env);
 
-	if (ret == 0)
-		sanitize_dead_code(env);
-
 	if (ret == 0)
 		ret = check_max_stack_depth(env);
 
+	/* instruction rewrites happen after this point */
+	if (ret == 0)
+		sanitize_dead_code(env);
+
 	if (ret == 0)
 		/* program is valid, convert *(u32*)(ctx + off) accesses */
 		ret = convert_ctx_accesses(env);