diff --git a/src/variable.cpp b/src/variable.cpp
index 8124d9c4a1..2bde0e5adb 100644
--- a/src/variable.cpp
+++ b/src/variable.cpp
@@ -1657,10 +1657,6 @@ double Variable::evaluate(char *str, Tree **tree, int ivar)
 
             if (!compute->array_flag)
               print_var_error(FLERR,"Mismatched compute in variable formula",ivar);
-            if (compute->size_array_rows == 0)
-              print_var_error(FLERR,"Variable formula compute array is zero length",ivar);
-            if (index1 > compute->size_array_cols)
-              print_var_error(FLERR,"Variable formula compute array is accessed out-of-range",ivar,0);
             if (!compute->is_initialized())
               print_var_error(FLERR,"Variable formula compute cannot be invoked before "
                               "initialization by a run",ivar);
@@ -1668,6 +1664,10 @@ double Variable::evaluate(char *str, Tree **tree, int ivar)
               compute->compute_array();
               compute->invoked_flag |= Compute::INVOKED_ARRAY;
             }
+            if (compute->size_array_rows == 0)
+              print_var_error(FLERR,"Variable formula compute array is zero length",ivar);
+            if (index1 > compute->size_array_cols)
+              print_var_error(FLERR,"Variable formula compute array is accessed out-of-range",ivar,0);
 
             auto newtree = new Tree();
             newtree->type = VECTORARRAY;