diff --git a/run-tests.php b/run-tests.php
index d0befa3738df..d7cd07f7c663 100755
--- a/run-tests.php
+++ b/run-tests.php
@@ -1821,8 +1821,8 @@ function run_test(string $php, $file, array $env): string
         $skipCache = new SkipCache($enableSkipCache, $cfg['keep']['skip']);
     }
 
-    $orig_php = $php;
     $php = escapeshellarg($php);
+    $orig_php = $php;
 
     $retried = false;
 retry: