diff --git a/jsawk b/jsawk
index 05a26f7..800d37e 100755
--- a/jsawk
+++ b/jsawk
@@ -1313,8 +1313,8 @@ fi
 
 JSBIN=${js_arg:-${JS:-js}}
 
-ret=$?
 res=$(cat $TMP2 2>/dev/null | $JSBIN $TMP1 $nlines "$@")
+ret=$?
 out=$(echo "$res" |sed '/^OUT: /s/^.....//p;d')
 err=$(echo "$res" |sed '/^ERR: /s/^.....//p;d')