diff --git a/lib/hd/mnemonic.js b/lib/hd/mnemonic.js
index fa3cd632..a7c3b5df 100644
--- a/lib/hd/mnemonic.js
+++ b/lib/hd/mnemonic.js
@@ -475,17 +475,21 @@ Mnemonic.prototype.toRaw = function toRaw(writer) {
  */
 
 Mnemonic.prototype.fromReader = function fromReader(br) {
-  this.bits = br.readU16();
-  this.language = Mnemonic.languages[br.readU8()];
-  this.entropy = br.readBytes(this.bits / 8);
+  const bits = br.readU16();
+
+  assert(bits >= common.MIN_ENTROPY);
+  assert(bits <= common.MAX_ENTROPY);
+  assert(bits % 32 === 0);
+
+  const language = Mnemonic.languages[br.readU8()];
+  assert(language);
+
+  this.bits = bits;
+  this.language = language;
+  this.entropy = br.readBytes(bits / 8);
   this.phrase = br.readVarString('utf8');
   this.passphrase = br.readVarString('utf8');
 
-  assert(this.language);
-  assert(this.bits >= common.MIN_ENTROPY);
-  assert(this.bits <= common.MAX_ENTROPY);
-  assert(this.bits % 32 === 0);
-
   return this;
 };