diff --git a/panda/src/chan/partBundle.cxx b/panda/src/chan/partBundle.cxx
index f0a0f3e1f0..8509c3f8dc 100644
--- a/panda/src/chan/partBundle.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/chan/partBundle.cxx
@@ -213,16 +213,16 @@ bind_anim(AnimBundle *anim, int hierarchy_match_flags,
       return NULL;
     }
   }
+
+  if (!check_hierarchy(anim, NULL, hierarchy_match_flags)) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
   
   JointTransformList::iterator jti;
   for (jti = _frozen_joints.begin(); jti != _frozen_joints.end(); ++jti) {
     anim->make_child_fixed((*jti).name, (*jti).transform);
   }
 
-  if (!check_hierarchy(anim, NULL, hierarchy_match_flags)) {
-    return NULL;
-  }
-
   plist<int> holes;
   int channel_index = 0;
   pick_channel_index(holes, channel_index);