diff --git a/src/FileRead.cpp b/src/FileRead.cpp
index 4053b26..1bddd82 100644
--- a/src/FileRead.cpp
+++ b/src/FileRead.cpp
@@ -447,12 +447,6 @@ bool FileRead :: getAifInfo( const char *fileName )
   byteswap_ = true;
 #endif
 
-  if ( fread(&id, 4, 1, fd_) != 1 ) goto error;
-  if ( !strncmp(id, "sowt", 4) ) { // uncompressed little-endian
-    if ( byteswap_ == false ) byteswap_ = true;
-    else byteswap_ = false;
-  }
-
   // Determine the data format.
   dataType_ = 0;
   if ( aifc == false ) {
@@ -462,6 +456,11 @@ bool FileRead :: getAifInfo( const char *fileName )
     else if ( temp <= 32 ) dataType_ = STK_SINT32;
   }
   else {
+    if ( fread(&id, 4, 1, fd_) != 1 ) goto error;
+    if ( !strncmp(id, "sowt", 4) ) { // uncompressed little-endian
+      if ( byteswap_ == false ) byteswap_ = true;
+      else byteswap_ = false;
+    }
     if ( !strncmp(id, "NONE", 4) || !strncmp(id, "sowt", 4) ) {
       if ( temp <= 8 ) dataType_ = STK_SINT8;
       else if ( temp <= 16 ) dataType_ = STK_SINT16;