diff --git a/layers/+spacemacs/spacemacs-defaults/packages.el b/layers/+spacemacs/spacemacs-defaults/packages.el
index 405e72c3a..f1c03721a 100644
--- a/layers/+spacemacs/spacemacs-defaults/packages.el
+++ b/layers/+spacemacs/spacemacs-defaults/packages.el
@@ -436,8 +436,8 @@
   (use-package winner
     :commands (winner-undo winner-redo)
     :init
+    (winner-mode t)
     (with-eval-after-load 'winner
-      (winner-mode t)
       (setq spacemacs/winner-boring-buffers '("*Completions*"
                                               "*Compile-Log*"
                                               "*inferior-lisp*"