diff --git a/lib/SimpleSAML/SessionHandlerPHP.php b/lib/SimpleSAML/SessionHandlerPHP.php
index 067c384d050d683bea83ace4144558eedd76f4ba..350b0e43bed36e7d3e0285085107ed4c2a4b7f73 100644
--- a/lib/SimpleSAML/SessionHandlerPHP.php
+++ b/lib/SimpleSAML/SessionHandlerPHP.php
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ class SessionHandlerPHP extends SessionHandler
              */
             session_cache_limiter('');
         }
-        @session_start();
         session_cache_limiter($cacheLimiter);
+        @session_start();
     }