diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/ObjectMarshaller.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ObjectMarshaller.as
index f32fb9850..dd2b8afc1 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/ObjectMarshaller.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ObjectMarshaller.as
@@ -156,11 +156,9 @@ public class ObjectMarshaller
     public static function validateValue (value :Object) :void
         // throws ArgumentError
     {
+        var s :String;
         try {
-            var s :String = getValidationError(value);
-            if (s != null) {
-                throw new ArgumentError(s);
-            }
+            s = getValidationError(value);
 
         } catch (e :Error) {
             switch (e.errorID) {
@@ -170,6 +168,9 @@ public class ObjectMarshaller
                 throw e; // re-throw
             }
         }
+        if (s != null) {
+            throw new ArgumentError(s);
+        }
     }
 
     /**