diff --git a/modules/term/vterm/autoload.el b/modules/term/vterm/autoload.el
index b5bf1ffb7..7fac10433 100644
--- a/modules/term/vterm/autoload.el
+++ b/modules/term/vterm/autoload.el
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ Returns the vterm buffer."
                                     return buf)
                            (get-buffer-create buffer-name))))
            (with-current-buffer buffer
-             (setq-local +vterm--id buffer-name)
              (unless (eq major-mode 'vterm-mode)
-               (vterm-mode)))
+               (vterm-mode))
+             (setq-local +vterm--id buffer-name))
            (pop-to-buffer buffer)))
        (get-buffer buffer-name)))))