diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/validation.py b/django/contrib/admin/validation.py
index 595b951b9e0..05e5c6d3008 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/validation.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/validation.py
@@ -150,14 +150,15 @@ def validate(cls, model):
 
 def validate_inline(cls, parent, parent_model):
     
-    fk = _get_foreign_key(parent_model, cls.model, fk_name=cls.fk_name, can_fail=True)
-    
     # model is already verified to exist and be a Model
     if cls.fk_name: # default value is None
         f = get_field(cls, cls.model, cls.model._meta, 'fk_name', cls.fk_name)
         if not isinstance(f, models.ForeignKey):
             raise ImproperlyConfigured("'%s.fk_name is not an instance of "
                     "models.ForeignKey." % cls.__name__)
+
+    fk = _get_foreign_key(parent_model, cls.model, fk_name=cls.fk_name, can_fail=True)
+
     # extra = 3
     # max_num = 0
     for attr in ('extra', 'max_num'):