diff --git a/apps/dgst.c b/apps/dgst.c
index 47c2f69e1b..95e5fa3fc7 100644
--- a/apps/dgst.c
+++ b/apps/dgst.c
@@ -293,6 +293,11 @@ int MAIN(int argc, char **argv)
 
     in = BIO_new(BIO_s_file());
     bmd = BIO_new(BIO_f_md());
+    if ((in == NULL) || (bmd == NULL)) {
+        ERR_print_errors(bio_err);
+        goto end;
+    }
+
     if (debug) {
         BIO_set_callback(in, BIO_debug_callback);
         /* needed for windows 3.1 */
@@ -304,11 +309,6 @@ int MAIN(int argc, char **argv)
         goto end;
     }
 
-    if ((in == NULL) || (bmd == NULL)) {
-        ERR_print_errors(bio_err);
-        goto end;
-    }
-
     if (out_bin == -1) {
         if (keyfile)
             out_bin = 1;