diff --git a/common/dlmalloc.c b/common/dlmalloc.c
index 7ad368e..b4341fe 100644
--- a/common/dlmalloc.c
+++ b/common/dlmalloc.c
@@ -1750,11 +1750,11 @@
 	mchunkptr oldtop = top;
 	INTERNAL_SIZE_T oldtopsize = chunksize(top);
 
-	void *mem = malloc(sz);
-
 	if ((long)n < 0)
 		return NULL;
 
+	void *mem = malloc(sz);
+
 	if (!mem)
 		return NULL;
 	else {