diff --git a/src/engine/gameManager/ForgeManager.java b/src/engine/gameManager/ForgeManager.java
index 67b6ab1b..7e7320d1 100644
--- a/src/engine/gameManager/ForgeManager.java
+++ b/src/engine/gameManager/ForgeManager.java
@@ -96,26 +96,28 @@ public enum ForgeManager implements Runnable {
 
     public static int submit(WorkOrder workOrder) {
 
+        // Must have a city to roll anything
+
+        City city = workOrder.vendor.building.getCity();
+
+        if (city == null)
+            return 58; //58: The formula is beyond the means of this facility
+
+        // Concurrency is rightly managed by same lock as warehouse
+
+        city.transactionLock.writeLock().lock();
+
         // Make sure vendor can roll the formulae, warehouse can
         // afford this wordOrder and other related checks.
 
         int validation_result = WorkOrder.validate(workOrder);
 
-        // The return code is used by the submitter as a
+        // The return code is used by the ItemProductionMsgHandler as a
         // popup error message for the player.
 
         if (validation_result != 0)
             return validation_result;
 
-        // Concurrency is managed by same lock as warehouse
-
-        City city = workOrder.vendor.building.getCity();
-
-        if (city == null)
-            return 58; //58: The formula is beyond the means of this facility
-
-        city.transactionLock.writeLock().lock();
-
         try {
             // Configure this production run.