diff --git a/lib/astc_encode.cpp b/lib/astc_encode.cpp
index 36fc1a5a90..657b518d12 100644
--- a/lib/astc_encode.cpp
+++ b/lib/astc_encode.cpp
@@ -688,21 +688,21 @@ ktxTexture2_CompressAstcEx(ktxTexture2* This, ktxAstcParams* params) {
 
             launchThreads(threadCount, compressionWorkloadRunner, &work);
 
+            buffer_out += levelImageSizeOut;
+
+            // Reset ASTC context for next image
+            astcenc_compress_reset(astc_context);
+            offset += levelImageSizeIn;
+
+            imageFree(input_image);
+
             if (work.error != ASTCENC_SUCCESS) {
                 std::cout << "ASTC compressor failed\n" <<
                              astcenc_get_error_string(work.error) << std::endl;
 
-                imageFree(input_image);
-
                 astcenc_context_free(astc_context);
                 return KTX_INVALID_OPERATION;
             }
-
-            buffer_out += levelImageSizeOut;
-
-            // Reset ASTC context for next image
-            astcenc_compress_reset(astc_context);
-            offset += levelImageSizeIn;
         }
     }