diff --git a/tty.c b/tty.c
index 148b1d2d..30b94e04 100644
--- a/tty.c
+++ b/tty.c
@@ -1905,10 +1905,10 @@ tty_set_selection(struct tty *tty, const char *buf, size_t len)
 	char	*encoded;
 	size_t	 size;
 
-	if (!tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_MS))
-		return;
 	if (~tty->flags & TTY_STARTED)
 		return;
+	if (!tty_term_has(tty->term, TTYC_MS))
+		return;
 
 	size = 4 * ((len + 2) / 3) + 1; /* storage for base64 */
 	encoded = xmalloc(size);