diff --git a/qa/workunits/snaptest-capwb.sh b/qa/workunits/snaptest-capwb.sh
index d293c6f9606..ec1650d2f5c 100755
--- a/qa/workunits/snaptest-capwb.sh
+++ b/qa/workunits/snaptest-capwb.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,16 @@
 set -e
 
 mkdir foo
+
+# make sure mds handles it when the client does not send flushsnap
+echo x > foo/x
+sync
+mkdir foo/.snap/ss
+ln foo/x foo/xx
+cat foo/.snap/ss/x
+rmdir foo/.snap/ss
+
+#
 echo a > foo/a
 echo b > foo/b
 mkdir foo/.snap/s
@@ -18,12 +28,4 @@ echo "oh, it didn't hang! good job."
 cat foo/b
 rmdir foo/.snap/s
 
-# make sure mds handles it when the client does not send flushsnap
-echo x > foo/x
-sync
-mkdir foo/.snap/ss
-ln foo/x foo/xx
-cat foo/.snap/ss/x
-rmdir foo/.snap/ss
-
 rm -r foo