diff --git a/src/events/SDL_mouse.c b/src/events/SDL_mouse.c
index 1aa4112efb..9f6ae32819 100644
--- a/src/events/SDL_mouse.c
+++ b/src/events/SDL_mouse.c
@@ -1562,6 +1562,11 @@ SDL_Cursor *SDL_CreateAnimatedCursor(SDL_CursorFrameInfo *frames, int frame_coun
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    CHECK_PARAM(!frames[0].surface) {
+        SDL_SetError("Null surface in frame 0");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     CHECK_PARAM(!frame_count) {
         SDL_InvalidParamError("frame_count");
         return NULL;
@@ -1591,11 +1596,6 @@ SDL_Cursor *SDL_CreateAnimatedCursor(SDL_CursorFrameInfo *frames, int frame_coun
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    CHECK_PARAM(!frames[0].surface) {
-        SDL_SetError("Null surface in frame 0");
-        return NULL;
-    }
-
     bool isstack;
     SDL_CursorFrameInfo *temp_frames = SDL_small_alloc(SDL_CursorFrameInfo, frame_count, &isstack);
     if (!temp_frames) {