diff --git a/compiler/ir/serialization.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/serialization/KotlinIrLinker.kt b/compiler/ir/serialization.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/serialization/KotlinIrLinker.kt
index 01777e8e2d4..e5fe6f3f6c2 100644
--- a/compiler/ir/serialization.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/serialization/KotlinIrLinker.kt
+++ b/compiler/ir/serialization.common/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/backend/common/serialization/KotlinIrLinker.kt
@@ -564,6 +564,15 @@ abstract class KotlinIrLinker(
             return null
         }
 
+        val moduleOfOrigin = topLevelDescriptor.module
+
+        val moduleDeserializer = deserializersForModules[moduleOfOrigin] ?:
+        if (tolerateNonKlibDescriptors) {
+            return null
+        } else {
+            error("No module deserializer found for $moduleOfOrigin")
+        }
+
         val descriptorUniqId = topLevelDescriptor.getUniqId()
             ?: if (tolerateNonKlibDescriptors) {
                 return null
@@ -572,15 +581,6 @@ abstract class KotlinIrLinker(
             }
         val topLevelKey = UniqId(descriptorUniqId)
 
-        val moduleOfOrigin = topLevelDescriptor.module
-
-        val moduleDeserializer = deserializersForModules[moduleOfOrigin] ?:
-            if (tolerateNonKlibDescriptors) {
-                return null
-            } else {
-                error("No module deserializer found for $moduleOfOrigin")
-            }
-
         moduleDeserializer.addModuleReachableTopLevel(topLevelKey)
 
         deserializeAllReachableTopLevels()