diff --git a/lib/services/address/index.js b/lib/services/address/index.js
index 9ba17ea9..5c38d3ca 100644
--- a/lib/services/address/index.js
+++ b/lib/services/address/index.js
@@ -231,6 +231,14 @@ AddressService.prototype.transactionLeaveHandler = function(txInfo) {
 AddressService.prototype.transactionHandler = function(txInfo, callback) {
   var self = this;
 
+  if (!callback) {
+    callback = function(err) {
+      if (err) {
+        return log.error(err);
+      }
+    };
+  }
+
   if (this.node.stopping) {
     return callback();
   }
@@ -246,14 +254,6 @@ AddressService.prototype.transactionHandler = function(txInfo, callback) {
     this.transactionOutputHandler(messages, tx, i, !txInfo.mempool);
   }
 
-  if (!callback) {
-    callback = function(err) {
-      if (err) {
-        return log.error(err);
-      }
-    };
-  }
-
   function finish(err) {
     if (err) {
       return callback(err);