diff --git a/libs/ardour/disk_reader.cc b/libs/ardour/disk_reader.cc
index cef82639fe..a708e60ac6 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/disk_reader.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/disk_reader.cc
@@ -278,11 +278,6 @@ DiskReader::run (BufferSet& bufs, samplepos_t start_sample, samplepos_t end_samp
 	BufferSet& scratch_bufs (_session.get_scratch_buffers (bufs.count()));
 	const bool still_locating = _session.global_locate_pending() || pending_overwrite ();
 
-	if (c->empty()) {
-		/* do nothing with audio */
-		goto midi;
-	}
-
 	assert (speed == -1 || speed == 0 || speed == 1);
 
 	if (speed == 0) {
@@ -291,6 +286,11 @@ DiskReader::run (BufferSet& bufs, samplepos_t start_sample, samplepos_t end_samp
 		disk_samples_to_consume = nframes;
 	}
 
+	if (c->empty()) {
+		/* do nothing with audio */
+		goto midi;
+	}
+
 	if (_declick_amp.gain () != target_gain && target_gain == 0) {
 		/* fade-out */
 #if 0