diff --git a/libavcodec/h264.c b/libavcodec/h264.c
index 9599b1486c..66ca83f62f 100644
--- a/libavcodec/h264.c
+++ b/libavcodec/h264.c
@@ -163,18 +163,18 @@ int ff_h264_check_intra_pred_mode(H264Context *h, int mode, int is_chroma)
 
     if ((h->left_samples_available & 0x8080) != 0x8080) {
         mode = left[mode];
-        if (is_chroma && (h->left_samples_available & 0x8080)) {
-            // mad cow disease mode, aka MBAFF + constrained_intra_pred
-            mode = ALZHEIMER_DC_L0T_PRED8x8 +
-                   (!(h->left_samples_available & 0x8000)) +
-                   2 * (mode == DC_128_PRED8x8);
-        }
         if (mode < 0) {
             av_log(h->s.avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR,
                    "left block unavailable for requested intra mode at %d %d\n",
                    s->mb_x, s->mb_y);
             return -1;
         }
+        if (is_chroma && (h->left_samples_available & 0x8080)) {
+            // mad cow disease mode, aka MBAFF + constrained_intra_pred
+            mode = ALZHEIMER_DC_L0T_PRED8x8 +
+                   (!(h->left_samples_available & 0x8000)) +
+                   2 * (mode == DC_128_PRED8x8);
+        }
     }
 
     return mode;