diff --git a/acme/acme/crypto_util.py b/acme/acme/crypto_util.py
index ecec351c2..0d0e78df6 100644
--- a/acme/acme/crypto_util.py
+++ b/acme/acme/crypto_util.py
@@ -169,11 +169,14 @@ def _pyopenssl_cert_or_req_san(cert_or_req):
         func = OpenSSL.crypto.dump_certificate
     else:
         func = OpenSSL.crypto.dump_certificate_request
+
+    # This method of finding SANs is used to support PyOpenSSL version 0.13.
     text = func(OpenSSL.crypto.FILETYPE_TEXT, cert_or_req).decode("utf-8")
     match = re.search(r"X509v3 Subject Alternative Name:\s*(.*)", text)
-    sans_parts = [] if match is None else match.group(1).split(parts_separator)
+
     # WARNING: this function assumes that no SAN can include
     # parts_separator, hence the split!
+    sans_parts = [] if match is None else match.group(1).split(parts_separator)
 
     return [part.split(part_separator)[1]
             for part in sans_parts if part.startswith(prefix)]