diff --git a/examples/main.c b/examples/main.c
index f8e9187528a91ca460f94e0aa99c65d880ba683a..dd112d28c62299353efd2fcf4c7ef2e60add96f4 100644
--- a/examples/main.c
+++ b/examples/main.c
@@ -102,6 +102,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 /* Choke on FP-exceptions. */
 // feenableexcept( FE_DIVBYZERO | FE_INVALID | FE_OVERFLOW );
 
+  /* Initialize CPU frequency, this also starts time. */
+  clocks_set_cpufreq(cpufreq);
+
 #ifdef WITH_MPI
   /* Start by initializing MPI. */
   int res, prov;
@@ -132,9 +135,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
          &initial_partition.grid[1], &initial_partition.grid[0]);
 #endif
 
-  /* Initialize CPU frequency, this also starts time. */
-  clocks_set_cpufreq(cpufreq);
-
   /* Greeting message */
   if (myrank == 0) greetings();