diff --git a/lib/bcoin/aes.js b/lib/bcoin/aes.js
index 0b46286b..26b71215 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/aes.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/aes.js
@@ -617,6 +617,8 @@ AESDecipher.prototype.update = function update(data) {
 AESDecipher.prototype.final = function final() {
   var i, b, n, block;
 
+  this.key.destroy();
+
   assert(!this.waiting, 'Bad decrypt (trailing bytes).');
   assert(this.lastBlock, 'Bad decrypt (no data).');
 
@@ -640,8 +642,6 @@ AESDecipher.prototype.final = function final() {
 
   block = block.slice(0, -n);
 
-  this.key.destroy();
-
   return block;
 };