diff --git a/src/generic/Read.cpp b/src/generic/Read.cpp
index e79d5c52f0d5532ee0cbc4dd9b096a4d470b6dd5..ee3c8659817384266488e6347e57cb8a44c1bb06 100644
--- a/src/generic/Read.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/Read.cpp
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ void Read::update() {
   if( !cloned_file ) {
     for(unsigned i=0; i<nlinesPerStep; ++i) {
       ifile->scanField(); double du_time;
-      if( plumed.getAtoms().getNatoms()==0 && !ifile->scanField("time",du_time) ) plumed.stop();
+      if( !ifile->scanField("time",du_time) && plumed.getAtoms().getNatoms()==0 ) plumed.stop();
     }
   }
 }