diff --git a/src/xdiff/xpatience.c b/src/xdiff/xpatience.c
index 00af0ff..2c65aac 100644
--- a/src/xdiff/xpatience.c
+++ b/src/xdiff/xpatience.c
@@ -209,11 +209,6 @@
 	struct entry **sequence = (struct entry **)xdl_malloc(map->nr * sizeof(struct entry *));
 	int longest = 0, i;
 	struct entry *entry;
-
-	/* Added to silence Coverity. */
-	if (sequence == NULL)
-		return map->first;
-
 	/*
 	 * If not -1, this entry in sequence must never be overridden.
 	 * Therefore, overriding entries before this has no effect, so
@@ -221,6 +216,10 @@
 	 */
 	int anchor_i = -1;
 
+	/* Added to silence Coverity. */
+	if (sequence == NULL)
+		return map->first;
+
 	for (entry = map->first; entry; entry = entry->next) {
 		if (!entry->line2 || entry->line2 == NON_UNIQUE)
 			continue;