diff --git a/src/main/java/li/cil/oc2/common/vm/AbstractVirtualMachine.java b/src/main/java/li/cil/oc2/common/vm/AbstractVirtualMachine.java
index 4bf7efe3..a874f452 100644
--- a/src/main/java/li/cil/oc2/common/vm/AbstractVirtualMachine.java
+++ b/src/main/java/li/cil/oc2/common/vm/AbstractVirtualMachine.java
@@ -304,6 +304,11 @@ public abstract class AbstractVirtualMachine implements VirtualMachine {
             return;
         }
 
+        if (busController.getDevices().stream().noneMatch(device -> device instanceof FirmwareLoader)) {
+            error(new TranslatableComponent(Constants.COMPUTER_ERROR_MISSING_FIRMWARE));
+            return;
+        }
+
         final VMDeviceLoadResult loadResult = state.vmAdapter.mount();
         if (!loadResult.wasSuccessful()) {
             if (loadResult.getErrorMessage() != null) {
@@ -315,11 +320,6 @@ public abstract class AbstractVirtualMachine implements VirtualMachine {
             return;
         }
 
-        if (busController.getDevices().stream().noneMatch(device -> device instanceof FirmwareLoader)) {
-            error(new TranslatableComponent(Constants.COMPUTER_ERROR_MISSING_FIRMWARE));
-            return;
-        }
-
         // May have a valid runner after load. In which case we just had to wait for
         // bus setup and devices to load. So we can keep using it.
         if (runner == null) {