diff --git a/input/lirc.c b/input/lirc.c
index 17b7364e9e..4e60f01182 100644
--- a/input/lirc.c
+++ b/input/lirc.c
@@ -46,13 +46,6 @@ mp_input_lirc_init(void) {
     return -1;
   }
 
-  if(lirc_readconfig( lirc_configfile,&lirc_config,NULL )!=0 ){
-    mp_msg(MSGT_LIRC,MSGL_ERR,MSGTR_LIRCcfgerr,
-		    lirc_configfile == NULL ? "~/.lircrc" : lirc_configfile);
-    lirc_deinit();
-    return -1;
-  }
-
   mode = fcntl(lirc_sock, F_GETFL);
   if (mode < 0 || fcntl(lirc_sock, F_SETFL, mode | O_NONBLOCK) < 0) {
     mp_msg(MSGT_LIRC, MSGL_ERR, "setting non-blocking mode failed: %s\n",
@@ -61,6 +54,13 @@ mp_input_lirc_init(void) {
     return -1;
   }
 
+  if(lirc_readconfig( lirc_configfile,&lirc_config,NULL )!=0 ){
+    mp_msg(MSGT_LIRC,MSGL_ERR,MSGTR_LIRCcfgerr,
+		    lirc_configfile == NULL ? "~/.lircrc" : lirc_configfile);
+    lirc_deinit();
+    return -1;
+  }
+
   return lirc_sock;
 }