diff --git a/components/formats-api/src/loci/formats/FormatReader.java b/components/formats-api/src/loci/formats/FormatReader.java
index fee716b57f4..4fefe0a187c 100644
--- a/components/formats-api/src/loci/formats/FormatReader.java
+++ b/components/formats-api/src/loci/formats/FormatReader.java
@@ -946,9 +946,11 @@ public byte[] openThumbBytes(int no) throws FormatException, IOException {
   /* @see IFormatReader#close(boolean) */
   @Override
   public void close(boolean fileOnly) throws IOException {
-    if (in != null) in.close();
-    if (!fileOnly) {
+    if (in != null) {
+      in.close();
       in = null;
+    }
+    if (!fileOnly) {
       currentId = null;
       resolution = 0;
       core = null;