diff --git a/lib/geom/eli/geom_eli.c b/lib/geom/eli/geom_eli.c
index 8ee4643e3c91..4c04a9256b5e 100644
--- a/lib/geom/eli/geom_eli.c
+++ b/lib/geom/eli/geom_eli.c
@@ -1823,10 +1823,6 @@ eli_resize(struct gctl_req *req)
 		gctl_error(req, "Invalid oldsize: Out of range.");
 		goto out;
 	}
-	if (oldsize == mediasize) {
-		gctl_error(req, "Size hasn't changed.");
-		goto out;
-	}
 
 	/* Read metadata from the 'oldsize' offset. */
 	if (pread(provfd, sector, secsize, oldsize - secsize) != secsize) {
@@ -1865,6 +1861,10 @@ eli_resize(struct gctl_req *req)
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	/* The metadata is valid and nothing has changed.  Just exit. */
+	if (oldsize == mediasize)
+		goto out;
+
 	/*
 	 * Update the old metadata with the current provider size and write
 	 * it back to the correct place on the provider.