diff --git a/src/cbmc/cbmc_parse_options.cpp b/src/cbmc/cbmc_parse_options.cpp
index 5395a2eed4c..ea738a735ce 100644
--- a/src/cbmc/cbmc_parse_options.cpp
+++ b/src/cbmc/cbmc_parse_options.cpp
@@ -863,7 +863,6 @@ void cbmc_parse_optionst::preprocessing(const optionst &options)
   }
 
   std::unique_ptr<languaget> language = get_language_from_filename(filename);
-  language->set_language_options(options, ui_message_handler);
 
   if(language == nullptr)
   {
@@ -871,6 +870,8 @@ void cbmc_parse_optionst::preprocessing(const optionst &options)
     return;
   }
 
+  language->set_language_options(options, ui_message_handler);
+
   if(language->preprocess(infile, filename, std::cout, ui_message_handler))
     log.error() << "PREPROCESSING ERROR" << messaget::eom;
 }