diff --git a/backend/ps.c b/backend/ps.c
index c74b839b..3c849b1a 100644
--- a/backend/ps.c
+++ b/backend/ps.c
@@ -54,17 +54,7 @@ int ps_plot(struct zint_symbol *symbol)
 	strcpy(addon, "");
 	comp_offset = 0;
 	addon_text_posn = 0.0;
-	
-	if((symbol->output_options & BARCODE_STDOUT) != 0) {
-		feps = stdout;
-	} else {
-		feps = fopen(symbol->outfile, "w");
-	}
-	if(feps == NULL) {
-		strcpy(symbol->errtxt, "Could not open output file");
-		return ZERROR_FILE_ACCESS;
-	}
-	
+		
 	/* sort out colour options */
 	to_upper((unsigned char*)symbol->fgcolour);
 	to_upper((unsigned char*)symbol->bgcolour);
@@ -87,6 +77,16 @@ int ps_plot(struct zint_symbol *symbol)
 		strcpy(symbol->errtxt, "Malformed background colour target");
 		return ZERROR_INVALID_OPTION;
 	}
+
+	if((symbol->output_options & BARCODE_STDOUT) != 0) {
+		feps = stdout;
+	} else {
+		feps = fopen(symbol->outfile, "w");
+	}
+	if(feps == NULL) {
+		strcpy(symbol->errtxt, "Could not open output file");
+		return ZERROR_FILE_ACCESS;
+	}
 	locale = setlocale(LC_ALL, "C");
 	
 	fgred = (16 * ctoi(symbol->fgcolour[0])) + ctoi(symbol->fgcolour[1]);
diff --git a/backend/svg.c b/backend/svg.c
index 8c0824a0..d61bfe41 100644
--- a/backend/svg.c
+++ b/backend/svg.c
@@ -51,16 +51,7 @@ int svg_plot(struct zint_symbol *symbol)
 	comp_offset = 0;
 	addon_text_posn = 0.0;
 	
-	if((symbol->output_options & BARCODE_STDOUT) != 0) {
-		fsvg = stdout;
-	} else {
-		fsvg = fopen(symbol->outfile, "w");
-	}
-	if(fsvg == NULL) {
-		strcpy(symbol->errtxt, "Could not open output file");
-		return ZERROR_FILE_ACCESS;
-	}
-	
+
 	/* sort out colour options */
 	to_upper((unsigned char*)symbol->fgcolour);
 	to_upper((unsigned char*)symbol->bgcolour);
@@ -83,6 +74,17 @@ int svg_plot(struct zint_symbol *symbol)
 		strcpy(symbol->errtxt, "Malformed background colour target");
 		return ZERROR_INVALID_OPTION;
 	}
+
+	if((symbol->output_options & BARCODE_STDOUT) != 0) {
+		fsvg = stdout;
+	} else {
+		fsvg = fopen(symbol->outfile, "w");
+	}
+	if(fsvg == NULL) {
+		strcpy(symbol->errtxt, "Could not open output file");
+		return ZERROR_FILE_ACCESS;
+	}
+
 	locale = setlocale(LC_ALL, "C");
 	
 	fgred = (16 * ctoi(symbol->fgcolour[0])) + ctoi(symbol->fgcolour[1]);