diff --git a/sphinx/writers/latex.py b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
index ffa8ae874..62f8a5284 100644
--- a/sphinx/writers/latex.py
+++ b/sphinx/writers/latex.py
@@ -248,12 +248,12 @@ class LaTeXTranslator(nodes.NodeVisitor):
                     return '\\usepackage{%s}' % (packagename,)
             usepackages = (declare_package(*p) for p in builder.usepackages)
             self.elements['usepackages'] += "\n".join(usepackages)
+        self.elements['numfig_format'] = self.generate_numfig_format(builder)
         # allow the user to override them all
         self.elements.update(builder.config.latex_elements)
         if self.elements['extraclassoptions']:
             self.elements['classoptions'] += ',' + \
                                              self.elements['extraclassoptions']
-        self.elements['numfig_format'] = self.generate_numfig_format(builder)
 
         self.highlighter = highlighting.PygmentsBridge(
             'latex',