diff --git a/util/romcc/romcc.c b/util/romcc/romcc.c
index 7b5e5d7e12..baf8014f0a 100644
--- a/util/romcc/romcc.c
+++ b/util/romcc/romcc.c
@@ -6406,11 +6406,10 @@ static size_t index_reg_offset(struct compile_state *state,
 			i++;
 			member = member->right;
 		}
-		size += reg_needed_padding(state, member, size);
 		if (i != index) {
 			internal_error(state, 0, "Missing member index: %u", index);
 		}
-
+		size += reg_needed_padding(state, member, size);
 	}
 	else if ((type->type & TYPE_MASK) == TYPE_JOIN) {
 		ulong_t i;