diff --git a/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_run.go b/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_run.go
index d09b38dcd..713a785be 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_run.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_run.go
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ func (c *criService) RunPodSandbox(ctx context.Context, r *runtime.RunPodSandbox
 
 	sandboxInfo.Runtime.Name = ociRuntime.Type
 
+	runtimeStart := time.Now()
 	// Retrieve runtime options
 	runtimeOpts, err := generateRuntimeOptions(ociRuntime)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -222,8 +223,6 @@ func (c *criService) RunPodSandbox(ctx context.Context, r *runtime.RunPodSandbox
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to update extensions for sandbox %q: %w", id, err)
 	}
 
-	runtimeStart := time.Now()
-
 	if err := controller.Create(ctx, id, sb.WithOptions(config), sb.WithNetNSPath(sandbox.NetNSPath)); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create sandbox %q: %w", id, err)
 	}