diff --git a/cmd/sops/common/common.go b/cmd/sops/common/common.go
index 7beecb8c1..fa54ecc7d 100644
--- a/cmd/sops/common/common.go
+++ b/cmd/sops/common/common.go
@@ -321,10 +321,10 @@ func FixAWSKMSEncryptionContextBug(opts GenericDecryptOpts, tree *sops.Tree) (*s
 	}
 
 	file, err := os.Create(opts.InputPath)
-	defer file.Close()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, NewExitError(fmt.Sprintf("Could not open file for writing: %s", err), codes.CouldNotWriteOutputFile)
 	}
+	defer file.Close()
 	_, err = file.Write(encryptedFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err