diff --git a/.goxc.json b/.goxc.json
index 87cc099..c00d186 100644
--- a/.goxc.json
+++ b/.goxc.json
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@
 		"Include": "README*,LICENSE*,inbucket.bat,etc,themes"
 	},
 	"PackageVersion": "1.0",
-	"PrereleaseInfo": "rc2",
+	"PrereleaseInfo": "rc3",
 	"FormatVersion": "0.8"
 }
diff --git a/pop3d/handler.go b/pop3d/handler.go
index 36b740b..f2fa33c 100644
--- a/pop3d/handler.go
+++ b/pop3d/handler.go
@@ -425,12 +425,12 @@ func (ses *Session) transactionHandler(cmd string, args []string) {
 // Send the contents of the message to the client
 func (ses *Session) sendMessage(msg smtpd.Message) {
 	reader, err := msg.RawReader()
-	defer reader.Close()
 	if err != nil {
 		ses.logError("Failed to read message for RETR command")
 		ses.send("-ERR Failed to RETR that message, internal error")
 		return
 	}
+	defer reader.Close()
 	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(reader)
 	for scanner.Scan() {
 		line := scanner.Text()
@@ -453,12 +453,12 @@ func (ses *Session) sendMessage(msg smtpd.Message) {
 // Send the headers plus the top N lines to the client
 func (ses *Session) sendMessageTop(msg smtpd.Message, lineCount int) {
 	reader, err := msg.RawReader()
-	defer reader.Close()
 	if err != nil {
 		ses.logError("Failed to read message for RETR command")
 		ses.send("-ERR Failed to RETR that message, internal error")
 		return
 	}
+	defer reader.Close()
 	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(reader)
 	inBody := false
 	for scanner.Scan() {