diff --git a/lib/error/validation.js b/lib/error/validation.js
index fb251bd94f1..950513575ed 100644
--- a/lib/error/validation.js
+++ b/lib/error/validation.js
@@ -17,16 +17,15 @@ const util = require('util');
 
 function ValidationError(instance) {
   this.errors = {};
-  this.name = 'ValidationError';
   this._message = '';
 
+  MongooseError.call(this, this._message);
   if (instance && instance.constructor.name === 'model') {
     this._message = instance.constructor.modelName + ' validation failed';
   } else {
     this._message = 'Validation failed';
   }
-
-  MongooseError.call(this, this._message);
+  this.name = 'ValidationError';
 
   if (Error.captureStackTrace) {
     Error.captureStackTrace(this);