diff --git a/llvm/lib/Bytecode/Writer/Writer.cpp b/llvm/lib/Bytecode/Writer/Writer.cpp
index 7d578f966e10..2550d107c3e9 100644
--- a/llvm/lib/Bytecode/Writer/Writer.cpp
+++ b/llvm/lib/Bytecode/Writer/Writer.cpp
@@ -942,12 +942,12 @@ void BytecodeWriter::outputInstructions(const Function *F) {
 }
 
 void BytecodeWriter::outputFunction(const Function *F) {
-  BytecodeBlock FunctionBlock(BytecodeFormat::FunctionBlockID, *this);
-  output_vbr(getEncodedLinkage(F));
-
   // If this is an external function, there is nothing else to emit!
   if (F->isExternal()) return;
 
+  BytecodeBlock FunctionBlock(BytecodeFormat::FunctionBlockID, *this);
+  output_vbr(getEncodedLinkage(F));
+
   // Get slot information about the function...
   Table.incorporateFunction(F);