diff --git a/crates/nargo/src/cli/compile_cmd.rs b/crates/nargo/src/cli/compile_cmd.rs
index 941f0251166..81e52b3a2fb 100644
--- a/crates/nargo/src/cli/compile_cmd.rs
+++ b/crates/nargo/src/cli/compile_cmd.rs
@@ -90,17 +90,17 @@ fn save_acir_to_dir<P: AsRef<Path>>(
     let mut circuit_path = create_named_dir(circuit_dir.as_ref(), "target");
     circuit_path.push(circuit_name);
 
-    // Save a checksum of the circuit to compare against during proving and verification
-    let acir_hash = hash_constraint_system(circuit);
-    circuit_path.set_extension(ACIR_EXT.to_owned() + ".sha256");
-    write_to_file(hex::encode(acir_hash).as_bytes(), &circuit_path);
-
     let mut serialized = Vec::new();
     circuit.write(&mut serialized).expect("could not serialize circuit");
 
     circuit_path.set_extension(ACIR_EXT);
     write_to_file(serialized.as_slice(), &circuit_path);
 
+    // Save a checksum of the circuit to compare against during proving and verification
+    let acir_hash = hash_constraint_system(circuit);
+    circuit_path.set_extension(ACIR_EXT.to_owned() + ".sha256");
+    write_to_file(hex::encode(acir_hash).as_bytes(), &circuit_path);
+
     circuit_path
 }