diff --git a/include/corosync/hdb.h b/include/corosync/hdb.h
index c1eb227d..79151ebc 100644
--- a/include/corosync/hdb.h
+++ b/include/corosync/hdb.h
@@ -243,14 +243,6 @@ static inline int hdb_handle_get (
 
 	hdb_database_lock (&handle_database->lock);
 
-	if (check != 0xffffffff &&
-		check != handle_database->handles[handle].check) {
-
-		hdb_database_unlock (&handle_database->lock);
-		errno = EBADF;
-		return (-1);
-	}
-
 	*instance = NULL;
 	if (handle >= handle_database->handle_count) {
 		hdb_database_unlock (&handle_database->lock);
@@ -264,6 +256,14 @@ static inline int hdb_handle_get (
 		return (-1);
 	}
 
+	if (check != 0xffffffff &&
+		check != handle_database->handles[handle].check) {
+
+		hdb_database_unlock (&handle_database->lock);
+		errno = EBADF;
+		return (-1);
+	}
+
 	*instance = handle_database->handles[handle].instance;
 
 	handle_database->handles[handle].ref_count += 1;
@@ -281,6 +281,13 @@ static inline int hdb_handle_put (
 
 	hdb_database_lock (&handle_database->lock);
 
+	if (handle >= handle_database->handle_count) {
+		hdb_database_unlock (&handle_database->lock);
+
+		errno = EBADF;
+		return (-1);
+	}
+
 	if (check != 0xffffffff &&
 		check != handle_database->handles[handle].check) {
 
@@ -313,6 +320,13 @@ static inline int hdb_handle_destroy (
 
 	hdb_database_lock (&handle_database->lock);
 
+	if (handle >= handle_database->handle_count) {
+		hdb_database_unlock (&handle_database->lock);
+
+		errno = EBADF;
+		return (-1);
+	}
+
 	if (check != 0xffffffff &&
 		check != handle_database->handles[handle].check) {
 		hdb_database_unlock (&handle_database->lock);