diff --git a/lib/fs.js b/lib/fs.js
index b0581927514888..3c1e964d22d815 100644
--- a/lib/fs.js
+++ b/lib/fs.js
@@ -1562,6 +1562,7 @@ if (isWindows) {
 }
 
 const emptyObj = ObjectCreate(null);
+const knownHard = ObjectCreate(null);
 function realpathSync(p, options) {
   if (!options)
     options = emptyObj;
@@ -1581,7 +1582,6 @@ function realpathSync(p, options) {
   }
 
   const seenLinks = ObjectCreate(null);
-  const knownHard = ObjectCreate(null);
   const original = p;
 
   // Current character position in p