diff --git a/bin/tblextr.py b/bin/tblextr.py
index 48b2505b06..27ab8af6f3 100755
--- a/bin/tblextr.py
+++ b/bin/tblextr.py
@@ -263,12 +263,12 @@ def fill_ext_db(table_name, db, indir, trace_name, api_pid):
   # tms pid:tid cid:rid:'.....'
   ptrn_val = re.compile(r'(\d+) (\d+):(\d+) (\d+):(\d+):"(.*)"$')
 
-  if not os.path.isfile(file_name): return 0
-
   range_data = {}
   range_stack = {}
   range_map = {}
 
+  if not os.path.isfile(file_name): return 0
+
   record_id = 0
   table_handle = db.add_table(table_name, ext_table_descr)
   with open(file_name, mode='r') as fd: