diff --git a/lib/error/validation.js b/lib/error/validation.js
index 85b733c48b3..950513575ed 100644
--- a/lib/error/validation.js
+++ b/lib/error/validation.js
@@ -18,19 +18,21 @@ const util = require('util');
 function ValidationError(instance) {
   this.errors = {};
   this._message = '';
+
+  MongooseError.call(this, this._message);
   if (instance && instance.constructor.name === 'model') {
     this._message = instance.constructor.modelName + ' validation failed';
-    MongooseError.call(this, this._message);
   } else {
     this._message = 'Validation failed';
-    MongooseError.call(this, this._message);
   }
   this.name = 'ValidationError';
+
   if (Error.captureStackTrace) {
     Error.captureStackTrace(this);
   } else {
     this.stack = new Error().stack;
   }
+
   if (instance) {
     instance.errors = this.errors;
   }