diff --git a/check.c b/check.c
index e6500871..d49d0647 100644
--- a/check.c
+++ b/check.c
@@ -593,6 +593,8 @@ void state_check(struct snapraid_state* state, int fix, block_off_t blockstart,
 	}
 
 	pathcpy(parity_path, sizeof(parity_path), state->parity);
+	pathcpy(qarity_path, sizeof(qarity_path), state->qarity);
+
 	if (fix) {
 		/* if fixing, create the file and open for writing */
 		/* if it fails, we cannot continue */
@@ -603,7 +605,6 @@ void state_check(struct snapraid_state* state, int fix, block_off_t blockstart,
 		}
 
 		if (state->level >= 2) {
-			pathcpy(qarity_path, sizeof(qarity_path), state->qarity);
 			qarity_f = parity_create(qarity_path, size);
 			if (qarity_f == -1) {
 				fprintf(stderr, "WARNING! Without an accessible Q-Parity file, it isn't possible to fix any error.\n");
@@ -622,7 +623,6 @@ void state_check(struct snapraid_state* state, int fix, block_off_t blockstart,
 		}
 
 		if (state->level >= 2) {
-			pathcpy(qarity_path, sizeof(qarity_path), state->qarity);
 			qarity_f = parity_open(qarity_path);
 			if (qarity_f == -1) {
 				printf("No accessible Q-Parity file, only files will be checked.\n");
diff --git a/sync.c b/sync.c
index d43e6270..6ee5718c 100644
--- a/sync.c
+++ b/sync.c
@@ -287,6 +287,9 @@ int state_sync(struct snapraid_state* state, block_off_t blockstart, block_off_t
 	}
 
 	pathcpy(parity_path, sizeof(parity_path), state->parity);
+	pathcpy(qarity_path, sizeof(qarity_path), state->qarity);
+
+	/* create the file and open for writing */
 	parity_f = parity_create(parity_path, size);
 	if (parity_f == -1) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "WARNING! Without an accessible Parity file, it isn't possible to sync.\n");
@@ -294,7 +297,6 @@ int state_sync(struct snapraid_state* state, block_off_t blockstart, block_off_t
 	}
 
 	if (state->level >= 2) {
-		pathcpy(qarity_path, sizeof(qarity_path), state->qarity);
 		qarity_f = parity_create(qarity_path, size);
 		if (qarity_f == -1) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "WARNING! Without an accessible Q-Parity file, it isn't possible to sync.\n");