diff --git a/lib/krb5/fcache.c b/lib/krb5/fcache.c
index 11a2808a1..cb78ae50d 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/fcache.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/fcache.c
@@ -202,6 +202,10 @@ erase_file(const char *filename)
 	else
 	    return errno;
     }
+    if (unlink(filename) < 0) {
+        close (fd);
+        return errno;
+    }
     ret = fstat (fd, &sb2);
     if (ret < 0) {
 	close (fd);
@@ -215,17 +219,6 @@ erase_file(const char *filename)
 	return EPERM;
     }
 
-    if (unlink(filename) < 0) {
-        close (fd);
-        return errno;
-    }
-
-    ret = fstat (fd, &sb2);
-    if (ret < 0) {
-	close (fd);
-	return errno;
-    }
-
     /* there are still hard links to this file */
 
     if (sb2.st_nlink != 0) {