diff --git a/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat.c b/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat.c
index e71ab0f..738b7ef 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat.c
@@ -833,6 +833,10 @@
 		goto exit2;
 	}
 
+	/* do not forward messages to the MSC */
+	if (con_filter)
+		goto exit2;
+
 	if (!con_msc) {
 		LOGP(DNAT, LOGL_ERROR, "Not forwarding data bsc_nr: %d ipa: %d type: 0x%x\n",
 			bsc->cfg->nr,
@@ -841,10 +845,6 @@
 		goto exit2;
 	}
 
-	/* do not forward messages to the MSC */
-	if (con_filter)
-		goto exit2;
-
 	/* send the non-filtered but maybe modified msg */
 	queue_for_msc(con_msc, msg);
 	talloc_free(parsed);