diff --git a/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java b/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java
index fed7f4c65..c47b79c26 100644
--- a/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java
+++ b/openjpa-persistence/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/persistence/XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser.java
@@ -837,9 +837,9 @@ public class XMLPersistenceMetaDataParser
             props = null;
         } else // plugin
         {
-            seq = null;
             clsName = Configurations.getClassName(seq);
             props = Configurations.getProperties(seq);
+            seq = null;
         }
 
         meta.setSequencePlugin(Configurations.getPlugin(clsName, props));