diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.cpp
index 647f5d3609..1917c41428 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwworld/esmloader.cpp
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ void EsmLoader::load(const boost::filesystem::path& filepath, int& index)
   ESM::ESMReader lEsm;
   lEsm.setEncoder(mEncoder);
   lEsm.setIndex(index);
-  lEsm.resolveParentFileIndices(mEsm);
   lEsm.open(filepath.string());
+  lEsm.resolveParentFileIndices(mEsm);
   mEsm[index] = lEsm;
   mStore.load(mEsm[index], &mListener);
 }