diff --git a/miniz.c b/miniz.c
index 52fa6b2..e79544f 100644
--- a/miniz.c
+++ b/miniz.c
@@ -4440,6 +4440,9 @@ mz_bool mz_zip_writer_add_file(mz_zip_archive *pZip, const char *pArchive_name,
   if (!mz_zip_get_file_modified_time(pSrc_filename, &dos_time, &dos_date))
     return MZ_FALSE;
 
+  if (!mz_zip_writer_write_zeros(pZip, cur_archive_file_ofs, num_alignment_padding_bytes + sizeof(local_dir_header)))
+    return MZ_FALSE;
+
   pSrc_file = MZ_FOPEN(pSrc_filename, "rb");
   if (!pSrc_file)
     return MZ_FALSE;
@@ -4456,8 +4459,6 @@ mz_bool mz_zip_writer_add_file(mz_zip_archive *pZip, const char *pArchive_name,
   if (uncomp_size <= 3)
     level = 0;
 
-  if (!mz_zip_writer_write_zeros(pZip, cur_archive_file_ofs, num_alignment_padding_bytes + sizeof(local_dir_header)))
-    return MZ_FALSE;
   local_dir_header_ofs += num_alignment_padding_bytes;
   if (pZip->m_file_offset_alignment) { MZ_ASSERT((local_dir_header_ofs & (pZip->m_file_offset_alignment - 1)) == 0); }
   cur_archive_file_ofs += num_alignment_padding_bytes + sizeof(local_dir_header);