diff --git a/lib/bootconfig.c b/lib/bootconfig.c
index ce25714351d5..9c3d59fb96ed 100644
--- a/lib/bootconfig.c
+++ b/lib/bootconfig.c
@@ -532,9 +532,9 @@ static char *skip_spaces_until_newline(char *p)
 static int __init __xbc_open_brace(char *p)
 {
 	/* Push the last key as open brace */
-	open_brace[brace_index++] = xbc_node_index(last_parent);
 	if (brace_index >= XBC_DEPTH_MAX)
 		return xbc_parse_error("Exceed max depth of braces", p);
+	open_brace[brace_index++] = xbc_node_index(last_parent);
 
 	return 0;
 }