diff --git a/enterprise/server/cmd/ci_runner/main.go b/enterprise/server/cmd/ci_runner/main.go
index e77c9b9d32e..e036f889302 100644
--- a/enterprise/server/cmd/ci_runner/main.go
+++ b/enterprise/server/cmd/ci_runner/main.go
@@ -265,6 +265,9 @@ func provisionArtifactsDir(ws *workspace, bazelCommandIndex int) error {
 
 func provisionKythe(ctx context.Context, ws *workspace) error {
 	kytheRootPath := filepath.Join(ws.rootDir, kytheDirName)
+	if err := os.Setenv(kytheDirEnvVarName, kytheRootPath); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	if _, err := os.Stat(kytheRootPath); err == nil {
 		return nil // dir already exists; we're done.
 	}
@@ -276,9 +279,6 @@ func provisionKythe(ctx context.Context, ws *workspace) error {
 	if err := runCommand(ctx, "bash", args, nil /*=env*/, "" /*=dir*/, ws.log); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := os.Setenv(kytheDirEnvVarName, kytheRootPath); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	return nil
 }