diff --git a/app/core/gimplinklayer.c b/app/core/gimplinklayer.c
index 3791e38d52..e6b33d6819 100644
--- a/app/core/gimplinklayer.c
+++ b/app/core/gimplinklayer.c
@@ -335,14 +335,14 @@ gimp_link_layer_duplicate (GimpItem *item,
       gint           width;
       gint           height;
 
+      gimp_config_sync (G_OBJECT (layer), G_OBJECT (new_layer), 0);
+
       if (layer->p->link)
         {
           link = gimp_link_duplicate (layer->p->link);
           gimp_link_layer_set_link (new_layer, link, FALSE);
         }
 
-      gimp_config_sync (G_OBJECT (layer), G_OBJECT (new_layer), 0);
-
       buffer = gimp_drawable_get_buffer (GIMP_DRAWABLE (layer));
       width  = gegl_buffer_get_width (buffer);
       height = gegl_buffer_get_height (buffer);