diff --git a/libraries/libldap/options.c b/libraries/libldap/options.c
index 748f9c4078..ef19dfda61 100644
--- a/libraries/libldap/options.c
+++ b/libraries/libldap/options.c
@@ -88,11 +88,6 @@ ldap_get_option(
 		ldap_int_initialize();
 	}
 
-	if(outvalue == NULL) {
-		/* no place to get to */
-		return LDAP_OPT_ERROR;
-	}
-
 	if(ld == NULL) {
 		lo = &ldap_int_global_options;
 
@@ -106,6 +101,11 @@ ldap_get_option(
 		lo = &ld->ld_options;
 	}
 
+	if(outvalue == NULL) {
+		/* no place to get to */
+		return LDAP_OPT_ERROR;
+	}
+
 	switch(option) {
 	case LDAP_OPT_API_INFO: {
 			struct ldapapiinfo *info = (struct ldapapiinfo *) outvalue;