diff --git a/lib/s3.js b/lib/s3.js
index 9bcfeeed..af034f00 100644
--- a/lib/s3.js
+++ b/lib/s3.js
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@
 			opt.ctx.load = opt.ctx.load || {};
 			key = s3.prefix + s3.prenode + Gun.is.rel(key);
 			s3.GET(key, function(err, data, text, meta){
+				meta = meta || {};
 				Gun.log('via s3', key, err);
 				if(err && err.statusCode == 404){
 					err = null; // we want a difference between 'unfound' (data is null) and 'error' (auth is wrong).
 				}
 				if(data){
-					meta = meta || {};
 					meta.soul = Gun.is.node.soul(data);
 					if(!meta.soul){
 						err = {err: Gun.log('No soul on node S3 data!')};