diff --git a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-auth.c b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-auth.c
index cd29e8bd126..04118d54e2b 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-auth.c
+++ b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-auth.c
@@ -502,6 +502,13 @@ pg_SASL_init(PGconn *conn, int payloadlen)
 			selected_mechanism = SCRAM_SHA_256_NAME;
 	}
 
+	if (!selected_mechanism)
+	{
+		printfPQExpBuffer(&conn->errorMessage,
+						  libpq_gettext("none of the server's SASL authentication mechanisms are supported\n"));
+		goto error;
+	}
+
 	if (conn->channel_binding[0] == 'r' &&	/* require */
 		strcmp(selected_mechanism, SCRAM_SHA_256_PLUS_NAME) != 0)
 	{
@@ -510,13 +517,6 @@ pg_SASL_init(PGconn *conn, int payloadlen)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	if (!selected_mechanism)
-	{
-		printfPQExpBuffer(&conn->errorMessage,
-						  libpq_gettext("none of the server's SASL authentication mechanisms are supported\n"));
-		goto error;
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * Now that the SASL mechanism has been chosen for the exchange,
 	 * initialize its state information.