diff --git a/crypto/asn1/a_bitstr.c b/crypto/asn1/a_bitstr.c
index c36817c1ee4ca7c654604db50f74e3e481a77a44..ed0bdfbde1a75ba478863bde12d351b4877ce6c7 100644
--- a/crypto/asn1/a_bitstr.c
+++ b/crypto/asn1/a_bitstr.c
@@ -71,8 +71,6 @@ int i2c_ASN1_BIT_STRING(ASN1_BIT_STRING *a, unsigned char **pp)
 	if (a == NULL) return(0);
 
 	len=a->length;
-	ret=1+len;
-	if (pp == NULL) return(ret);
 
 	if (len > 0)
 		{
@@ -100,6 +98,10 @@ int i2c_ASN1_BIT_STRING(ASN1_BIT_STRING *a, unsigned char **pp)
 		}
 	else
 		bits=0;
+
+	ret=1+len;
+	if (pp == NULL) return(ret);
+
 	p= *pp;
 
 	*(p++)=(unsigned char)bits;