diff --git a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_tx_utils.cpp b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_tx_utils.cpp
index 94f069827..258119566 100644
--- a/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_tx_utils.cpp
+++ b/src/cryptonote_core/cryptonote_tx_utils.cpp
@@ -484,8 +484,9 @@ namespace cryptonote
     std::string genesis_coinbase_tx_hex = config::GENESIS_TX;
 
     blobdata tx_bl;
-    string_tools::parse_hexstr_to_binbuff(genesis_coinbase_tx_hex, tx_bl);
-    bool r = parse_and_validate_tx_from_blob(tx_bl, bl.miner_tx);
+    bool r = string_tools::parse_hexstr_to_binbuff(genesis_coinbase_tx_hex, tx_bl);
+    CHECK_AND_ASSERT_MES(r, false, "failed to parse coinbase tx from hard coded blob");
+    r = parse_and_validate_tx_from_blob(tx_bl, bl.miner_tx);
     CHECK_AND_ASSERT_MES(r, false, "failed to parse coinbase tx from hard coded blob");
     bl.major_version = CURRENT_BLOCK_MAJOR_VERSION;
     bl.minor_version = CURRENT_BLOCK_MINOR_VERSION;