diff --git a/src/dwarfs/inode_manager.cpp b/src/dwarfs/inode_manager.cpp
index 98c04e4b..cccf1a29 100644
--- a/src/dwarfs/inode_manager.cpp
+++ b/src/dwarfs/inode_manager.cpp
@@ -333,6 +333,9 @@ void inode_manager_<LoggerPolicy>::order_inodes_by_nilsimsa(
   index.resize(count);
   std::iota(index.begin(), index.end(), 0);
 
+  auto empty = std::partition(index.begin(), index.end(),
+                              [&](auto i) { return inodes[i]->size() > 0; });
+
   auto finalize_inode = [&]() {
     inodes_.push_back(std::move(inodes[index.back()]));
     index.pop_back();
@@ -340,9 +343,6 @@ void inode_manager_<LoggerPolicy>::order_inodes_by_nilsimsa(
     fn(inodes_.back());
   };
 
-  auto empty = std::partition(index.begin(), index.end(),
-                              [&](auto i) { return inodes[i]->size() > 0; });
-
   if (empty != index.end()) {
     assert(empty + 1 == index.end());
     finalize_inode();