diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
index 3240fd10..8ad83753 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
@@ -602,9 +602,6 @@ static void sig_nicklist_new(CHANNEL_REC *channel, NICK_REC *nick)
 	char *nickhost, *p;
 	int n;
 
-	if (nick->host == NULL)
-                return;
-
 	firstnick = g_hash_table_lookup(channel->nicks, nick->nick);
 	if (firstnick->next == NULL)
 		return;
@@ -617,6 +614,9 @@ static void sig_nicklist_new(CHANNEL_REC *channel, NICK_REC *nick)
                         return; /* nope, we have it */
 	}
 
+	if (nick->host == NULL)
+                return;
+
 	/* identical nick already exists, have to change it somehow.. */
 	p = strchr(nick->host, '@');
 	if (p == NULL) p = nick->host; else p++;