diff --git a/phpBB/phpbb/search/backend/base.php b/phpBB/phpbb/search/backend/base.php
index cb2a6e7f39..4003e102ef 100644
--- a/phpBB/phpbb/search/backend/base.php
+++ b/phpBB/phpbb/search/backend/base.php
@@ -397,9 +397,8 @@ abstract class base implements search_backend_interface
 			if (count($ids))
 			{
 				$this->index_remove($ids, $posters, $forum_ids);
+				$post_counter = $ids[count($ids) - 1];
 			}
-
-			$post_counter = $ids[count($ids) - 1];
 		}
 
 		if ($post_counter < $max_post_id)