diff --git a/libsysutils/src/SocketClient.cpp b/libsysutils/src/SocketClient.cpp
index 722dcb2..69d165a 100644
--- a/libsysutils/src/SocketClient.cpp
+++ b/libsysutils/src/SocketClient.cpp
@@ -64,11 +64,6 @@
 }
 
 int SocketClient::sendMsg(const char *msg) {
-    if (mSocket < 0) {
-        errno = EHOSTUNREACH;
-        return -1;
-    }
-
     // Send the message including null character
     if (sendData(msg, strlen(msg) + 1) != 0) {
         SLOGW("Unable to send msg '%s'", msg);
@@ -82,6 +77,11 @@
     const char *p = (const char*) data;
     int brtw = len;
 
+    if (mSocket < 0) {
+        errno = EHOSTUNREACH;
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     if (len == 0) {
         return 0;
     }