diff --git a/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el b/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el
index 35dae7bc432..6553a2799bb 100644
--- a/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el
+++ b/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el
@@ -1273,7 +1273,6 @@ aspell is used along with Emacs).")
 (defun ispell-set-spellchecker-params ()
   "Initialize some spellchecker parameters when changed or first used."
   (unless (eq ispell-last-program-name ispell-program-name)
-    (setq ispell-last-program-name ispell-program-name)
     (ispell-kill-ispell t)
     (if (and (condition-case ()
 		 (progn
@@ -1388,7 +1387,8 @@ aspell is used along with Emacs).")
                            (nth 7 adict)))
                       adict)
                     tmp-dicts-alist :test #'equal))
-      (setq ispell-dictionary-alist tmp-dicts-alist))))
+      (setq ispell-dictionary-alist tmp-dicts-alist)))
+      (setq ispell-last-program-name ispell-program-name))
 
 (defun ispell-valid-dictionary-list ()
   "Return a list of valid dictionaries.