diff --git a/typescript/optics-deploy/src/core/index.ts b/typescript/optics-deploy/src/core/index.ts
index 1fcb35fd3..8e6fb1fb4 100644
--- a/typescript/optics-deploy/src/core/index.ts
+++ b/typescript/optics-deploy/src/core/index.ts
@@ -29,12 +29,11 @@ function warn(text: string, padded: boolean = false) {
 }
 
 export async function deployUpgradeBeaconController(deploy: CoreDeploy) {
-  assert(deploy.contracts.upgradeBeaconController);
-
   let factory = new contracts.UpgradeBeaconController__factory(deploy.deployer);
   deploy.contracts.upgradeBeaconController = await factory.deploy(
     deploy.overrides,
   );
+  assert(deploy.contracts.upgradeBeaconController);
   await deploy.contracts.upgradeBeaconController.deployTransaction.wait(
     deploy.chain.confirmations,
   );