diff --git a/vint.c b/vint.c
index d4c940e..844366f 100644
--- a/vint.c
+++ b/vint.c
@@ -200,8 +200,9 @@ unsigned TEMPLATE2(vbzgeteq, USIZE)(unsigned char **__restrict in, unsigned n, u
   #endif
 
 unsigned char *TEMPLATE2(VBDENC, USIZE)(uint_t *__restrict in, unsigned n, unsigned char *__restrict out, uint_t start) {
-  unsigned char *op = out; if(!n) return out;
+  unsigned char *op = out; 
   uint_t *ip, b=0,v; 
+  if(!n) return out;
   #define VBDE { v = (*ip)-start-VDELTA; start = *ip++; TEMPLATE2(_vbput, USIZE)(op, v, ;); b |= (v /*^ x*/); }
   for(ip = in; ip != in + (n&~(UN-1)); ) { VBDE;VBDE;VBDE;VBDE; 
 	  #if UN > 4