diff --git a/src/cmdexpand.c b/src/cmdexpand.c
index b1c9ed6..5fa631c 100644
--- a/src/cmdexpand.c
+++ b/src/cmdexpand.c
@@ -4638,14 +4638,11 @@
 	    || (start->lnum == end->lnum && start->col >= end->col))
 	return FAIL; // invalid range
 
-    // Get line pointers
-    start_line = ml_get(start->lnum);
-    end_line = ml_get(end->lnum);
-
     // Use a growable string (ga)
     ga_init2(&ga, 1, 128);
 
     // Append start line from start->col to end
+    start_line = ml_get(start->lnum);
     char_u  *start_ptr = start_line + start->col;
     int	    is_single_line = start->lnum == end->lnum;
 
@@ -4672,6 +4669,7 @@
     }
 
     // Append partial end line (up to word end)
+    end_line = ml_get(end->lnum);
     word_end = find_word_end(end_line + end->col);
     segment_len = (int)(word_end - end_line);
     if (ga_grow(&ga, segment_len) != OK)