diff --git a/skeletons/INTEGER.c b/skeletons/INTEGER.c
index e7a5ba6..c6e1d91 100644
--- a/skeletons/INTEGER.c
+++ b/skeletons/INTEGER.c
@@ -339,6 +339,9 @@
 		ASN_DEBUG("INTEGER body %ld 0x%2x..0x%2x",
 			(long)chunk_size, *lstart, lstop[-1]);
 
+	if(INTEGER_st_prealloc(st, (chunk_size/3) + 1))
+		return XPBD_SYSTEM_FAILURE;
+
 	/*
 	 * We may have received a tag here. It will be processed inline.
 	 * Use strtoul()-like code and serialize the result.
@@ -447,8 +450,6 @@
 				 * places as a decimal value.
 				 * Switch decoding mode. */
 				ASN_DEBUG("INTEGER re-evaluate as hex form");
-				if(INTEGER_st_prealloc(st, (chunk_size/3) + 1))
-					return XPBD_SYSTEM_FAILURE;
 				state = ST_SKIPSPHEX;
 				lp = lstart - 1;
 				continue;
@@ -476,8 +477,6 @@
 				continue;
 			case ST_DIGITS:
 				ASN_DEBUG("INTEGER re-evaluate as hex form");
-				if(INTEGER_st_prealloc(st, (chunk_size/3) + 1))
-					return XPBD_SYSTEM_FAILURE;
 				state = ST_SKIPSPHEX;
 				lp = lstart - 1;
 				continue;