diff --git a/direct/src/fsm/FourState.py b/direct/src/fsm/FourState.py
index df653825f9..fc24e23ca9 100755
--- a/direct/src/fsm/FourState.py
+++ b/direct/src/fsm/FourState.py
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ class FourState:
         off (and so is state 2 which is oposite of 4 and therefore
         oposite of 'on').
         """
+        self.stateIndex = 0
         assert self.debugPrint("FourState(names=%s)"%(names))
         self.track = None
         self.stateTime = 0.0
@@ -120,7 +121,6 @@ class FourState:
                            self.exitState4,
                            [names[1]]),
             }
-        self.stateIndex = 0
         self.fsm = ClassicFSM.ClassicFSM('FourState',
                            list(self.states.values()),
                            # Initial State
diff --git a/direct/src/fsm/FourStateAI.py b/direct/src/fsm/FourStateAI.py
index 6f5ff8d966..7b0ebda64d 100755
--- a/direct/src/fsm/FourStateAI.py
+++ b/direct/src/fsm/FourStateAI.py
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ class FourStateAI:
         off (and so is state 2 which is oposite of state 4 and therefore
         oposite of 'on').
         """
+        self.stateIndex = 0
         assert self.debugPrint(
                 "FourStateAI(names=%s, durations=%s)"
                 %(names, durations))
         self.doLaterTask = None
-        self.stateIndex = 0
         assert len(names) == 5
         assert len(names) == len(durations)
         self.names = names