diff --git a/Userland/Utilities/tar.cpp b/Userland/Utilities/tar.cpp
index 8d76536ae3..c1e57b5e5c 100644
--- a/Userland/Utilities/tar.cpp
+++ b/Userland/Utilities/tar.cpp
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ ErrorOr<int> serenity_main(Main::Arguments arguments)
     }
 
     if (list || extract) {
+        NonnullOwnPtr<Stream> input_stream = TRY(Core::InputBufferedFile::create(TRY(Core::File::open_file_or_standard_stream(archive_file, Core::File::OpenMode::Read))));
+
         if (!directory.is_empty())
             TRY(Core::System::chdir(directory));
 
-        NonnullOwnPtr<Stream> input_stream = TRY(Core::InputBufferedFile::create(TRY(Core::File::open_file_or_standard_stream(archive_file, Core::File::OpenMode::Read))));
-
         if (gzip)
             input_stream = make<Compress::GzipDecompressor>(move(input_stream));