diff --git a/gen/toir.cpp b/gen/toir.cpp
index 519e2aab..ada97c7a 100644
--- a/gen/toir.cpp
+++ b/gen/toir.cpp
@@ -88,7 +88,14 @@ DValue* VarExp::toElem(IRState* p)
         cachedLvalue = NULL;
         return new DVarValue(type, V);
     }
-
+    
+    // this is an error! must be accessed with DotVarExp
+    if (var->needThis())
+    {
+        error("need 'this' to access member %s", toChars());
+        fatal();
+    }
+    
     if (VarDeclaration* vd = var->isVarDeclaration())
     {
         Logger::println("VarDeclaration ' %s ' of type ' %s '", vd->toChars(), vd->type->toChars());
@@ -100,14 +107,6 @@ DValue* VarExp::toElem(IRState* p)
             return new DConstValue(type, DtoConstBool(false));
         }
 #endif
-
-        // this is an error! must be accessed with DotVarExp
-        if (var->needThis())
-        {
-            error("need 'this' to access member %s", toChars());
-            fatal();
-        }
-
         // _arguments
         if (vd->ident == Id::_arguments && p->func()->_arguments)
         {