diff --git a/aucat/wav.c b/aucat/wav.c
index 97044f6..0534c69 100644
--- a/aucat/wav.c
+++ b/aucat/wav.c
@@ -796,7 +796,11 @@ wav_new_in(struct fileops *ops, struct dev *dev,
 		close(fd);
 		return NULL;
 	}
+	f->mode = mode;
 	f->pstate = WAV_CFG;
+	f->endpos = f->startpos = 0;
+	f->next = wav_list;
+	wav_list = f;
 	if (hdr == HDR_WAV) {
 		if (!wav_readhdr(f->pipe.fd, par,
 			&f->startpos, &f->rbytes, &f->map)) {
@@ -805,7 +809,6 @@ wav_new_in(struct fileops *ops, struct dev *dev,
 		}
 		f->endpos = f->startpos + f->rbytes;
 	} else {
-		f->startpos = 0;
 		f->endpos = pipe_endpos(&f->pipe.file);
 		if (f->endpos > 0) {
 			if (!pipe_seek(&f->pipe.file, 0)) {
@@ -846,8 +849,6 @@ wav_new_in(struct fileops *ops, struct dev *dev,
 		dbg_puts("\n");
 	}
 #endif
-	f->next = wav_list;
-	wav_list = f;
 	return f;
 }
 
@@ -881,7 +882,11 @@ wav_new_out(struct fileops *ops, struct dev *dev,
 		close(fd);
 		return NULL;
 	}
+	f->mode = mode;
 	f->pstate = WAV_CFG;
+	f->endpos = f->startpos = 0;
+	f->next = wav_list;
+	wav_list = f;
 	if (hdr == HDR_WAV) {
 		par->le = 1;
 		par->sig = (par->bits <= 8) ? 0 : 1;
@@ -892,14 +897,11 @@ wav_new_out(struct fileops *ops, struct dev *dev,
 		}
 		f->wbytes = WAV_DATAMAX;
 		f->endpos = f->startpos;
-	} else {
+	} else
 		f->wbytes = -1;
-		f->startpos = f->endpos = 0;
-	}
 	f->dev = dev;
 	f->mmc = mmc;
 	f->join = join;
-	f->mode = mode;
 	f->hpar = *par;
 	f->hdr = hdr;
 	f->xrun = xrun;