diff --git a/stepmania/src/CryptManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/CryptManager.cpp
index 39ab88386e..2b702d3ebd 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/CryptManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/CryptManager.cpp
@@ -184,14 +184,14 @@ bool CryptManager::VerifyFileWithFile( CString sPath, CString sSignatureFile, CS
 	if( !GetFileContents(sPublicKeyFile, sPublicKey) )
 		return false;
 
-	CString sSignature;
-	if( !GetFileContents(sSignatureFile, sSignature) )
-		return false;
-
 	int iBytes = FILEMAN->GetFileSizeInBytes( sSignatureFile );
 	if( iBytes > MAX_SIGNATURE_SIZE_BYTES )
 		return false;
 
+	CString sSignature;
+	if( !GetFileContents(sSignatureFile, sSignature) )
+		return false;
+
 	try {
 		StringSource pubFile( sPublicKey, true );
 		RSASSA_PKCS1v15_SHA_Verifier pub(pubFile);