diff --git a/gtk/gtktreeselection.c b/gtk/gtktreeselection.c
index e7aad5bff7..d5aad37c8b 100644
--- a/gtk/gtktreeselection.c
+++ b/gtk/gtktreeselection.c
@@ -413,13 +413,13 @@ gtk_tree_selection_get_selected_rows (GtkTreeSelection   *selection,
   g_return_val_if_fail (GTK_IS_TREE_SELECTION (selection), NULL);
   g_return_val_if_fail (selection->tree_view != NULL, NULL);
 
+  if (model)
+    *model = selection->tree_view->priv->model;
+
   if (selection->tree_view->priv->tree == NULL ||
       selection->tree_view->priv->tree->root == NULL)
     return NULL;
 
-  if (model)
-    *model = selection->tree_view->priv->model;
-
   if (selection->type == GTK_SELECTION_NONE)
     return NULL;
   else if (selection->type != GTK_SELECTION_MULTIPLE)