diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 3d0776c464f..56c05dd1798 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ PHP                                                                        NEWS
   . Fixed bug GH-19817 (Decode SCRIPT_FILENAME issue in php 8.5).
     (Jakub Zelenka)
 
+- Opcache:
+  . Fixed bug GH-20081 (access to uninitialized vars in preload_load()).
+    (Arnaud)
+
 - SPL:
   . Fixed bug GH-20101 (SplHeap/SplPriorityQueue serialization
     exposes INDIRECTs). (nielsdos)
diff --git a/ext/opcache/ZendAccelerator.c b/ext/opcache/ZendAccelerator.c
index 0456017dae0..84acae980ce 100644
--- a/ext/opcache/ZendAccelerator.c
+++ b/ext/opcache/ZendAccelerator.c
@@ -4522,16 +4522,6 @@ static void preload_load(size_t orig_map_ptr_static_last)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (EG(zend_constants)) {
-		EG(persistent_constants_count) = EG(zend_constants)->nNumUsed;
-	}
-	if (EG(function_table)) {
-		EG(persistent_functions_count) = EG(function_table)->nNumUsed;
-	}
-	if (EG(class_table)) {
-		EG(persistent_classes_count)   = EG(class_table)->nNumUsed;
-	}
-
 	size_t old_map_ptr_last = CG(map_ptr_last);
 	if (zend_map_ptr_static_last != ZCSG(map_ptr_static_last) || old_map_ptr_last != ZCSG(map_ptr_last)) {
 		CG(map_ptr_last) = ZCSG(map_ptr_last);
@@ -4801,6 +4791,12 @@ static zend_result accel_preload(const char *config, bool in_child)
 
 		preload_load(orig_map_ptr_static_last);
 
+		/* Update persistent counts, as shutdown will discard anything past
+		 * that, and these tables are aliases to global ones at this point. */
+		EG(persistent_functions_count) = EG(function_table)->nNumUsed;
+		EG(persistent_classes_count)   = EG(class_table)->nNumUsed;
+		EG(persistent_constants_count) = EG(zend_constants)->nNumUsed;
+
 		/* Store individual scripts with unlinked classes */
 		HANDLE_BLOCK_INTERRUPTIONS();
 		SHM_UNPROTECT();