diff --git a/degesch.c b/degesch.c
index 85e43c6..2cd31ff 100644
--- a/degesch.c
+++ b/degesch.c
@@ -3849,6 +3849,10 @@ transport_tls_init_ctx (struct server *s, SSL_CTX *ssl_ctx, struct error **e)
 	if (!verify)
 		SSL_CTX_set_verify (ssl_ctx, SSL_VERIFY_NONE, NULL);
 
+	// TODO: allow specifying SSL_CTX_set_cipher_list()
+	SSL_CTX_set_mode (ssl_ctx,
+		SSL_MODE_ENABLE_PARTIAL_WRITE | SSL_MODE_ACCEPT_MOVING_WRITE_BUFFER);
+
 	const char *ca_file = get_config_string (s->config, "ssl_ca_file");
 	const char *ca_path = get_config_string (s->config, "ssl_ca_path");
 
@@ -3871,10 +3875,6 @@ transport_tls_init_ctx (struct server *s, SSL_CTX *ssl_ctx, struct error **e)
 			ERR_reason_error_string (ERR_get_error ()));
 		goto ca_error;
 	}
-
-	// TODO: allow specifying SSL_CTX_set_cipher_list()
-	SSL_CTX_set_mode (ssl_ctx,
-		SSL_MODE_ENABLE_PARTIAL_WRITE | SSL_MODE_ACCEPT_MOVING_WRITE_BUFFER);
 	return true;
 
 ca_error: