diff --git a/tc/f_bpf.c b/tc/f_bpf.c
index afc2e582..5c97c863 100644
--- a/tc/f_bpf.c
+++ b/tc/f_bpf.c
@@ -71,9 +71,6 @@ static int bpf_parse_opt(struct filter_util *qu, char *handle,
 	struct rtattr *tail;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	if (argc == 0)
-		return 0;
-
 	if (handle) {
 		if (get_u32(&t->tcm_handle, handle, 0)) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Illegal \"handle\"\n");
@@ -81,6 +78,9 @@ static int bpf_parse_opt(struct filter_util *qu, char *handle,
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (argc == 0)
+		return 0;
+
 	tail = (struct rtattr *)(((void *)n) + NLMSG_ALIGN(n->nlmsg_len));
 	addattr_l(n, MAX_MSG, TCA_OPTIONS, NULL, 0);