diff --git a/qqq-middleware-javalin/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/javalin/QJavalinProcessHandler.java b/qqq-middleware-javalin/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/javalin/QJavalinProcessHandler.java
index 010af005..28361e20 100644
--- a/qqq-middleware-javalin/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/javalin/QJavalinProcessHandler.java
+++ b/qqq-middleware-javalin/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/javalin/QJavalinProcessHandler.java
@@ -178,6 +178,12 @@ public class QJavalinProcessHandler
          String reportName = context.pathParam("reportName");
          String format     = context.queryParam("format");
 
+         QReportMetaData report = QJavalinImplementation.qInstance.getReport(reportName);
+         if(report == null)
+         {
+            throw (new QNotFoundException("Report [" + reportName + "] is not found."));
+         }
+
          ReportFormat reportFormat = QJavalinImplementation.getReportFormat(context, optionalFilename, format);
          if(reportFormat == null)
          {
@@ -198,12 +204,6 @@ public class QJavalinProcessHandler
          reportInput.setInputValues(null); // todo!
          reportInput.setFilename(filename);
 
-         QReportMetaData report = QJavalinImplementation.qInstance.getReport(reportName);
-         if(report == null)
-         {
-            throw (new QNotFoundException("Report [" + reportName + "] is not found."));
-         }
-
          //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
          // process the report's input fields, from the query string //
          //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////