diff --git a/webapi/getfeeaddress.go b/webapi/getfeeaddress.go
index ff569a4..8751400 100644
--- a/webapi/getfeeaddress.go
+++ b/webapi/getfeeaddress.go
@@ -83,6 +83,13 @@ func feeAddress(c *gin.Context) {
 
 	ticketHash := feeAddressRequest.TicketHash
 
+	// Respond early if we already have the fee tx for this ticket.
+	if ticket.FeeTxHex != "" {
+		log.Warnf("Fee tx already received from %s: ticketHash=%s", c.ClientIP(), ticket.Hash)
+		sendErrorResponse("fee tx already received", http.StatusBadRequest, c)
+		return
+	}
+
 	canVote, err := dcrdClient.CanTicketVote(ticketHash, cfg.NetParams)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("canTicketVote error: %v", err)
@@ -98,13 +105,6 @@ func feeAddress(c *gin.Context) {
 	// VSP already knows this ticket and has already issued it a fee address.
 	if knownTicket {
 
-		// Respond early if we already have the fee tx for this ticket.
-		if ticket.FeeTxHex != "" {
-			log.Warnf("Fee tx already received from %s: ticketHash=%s", c.ClientIP(), ticket.Hash)
-			sendErrorResponse("fee tx already received", http.StatusBadRequest, c)
-			return
-		}
-
 		// If the expiry period has passed we need to issue a new fee.
 		now := time.Now()
 		if ticket.FeeExpired() {