diff --git a/pkg/services/tree/sync.go b/pkg/services/tree/sync.go
index c48a312fb..4f3262113 100644
--- a/pkg/services/tree/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/services/tree/sync.go
@@ -134,11 +134,6 @@ func (s *Service) SynchronizeTree(ctx context.Context, cid cid.ID, treeID string
 func mergeOperationStreams(streams []chan *pilorama.Move, merged chan<- *pilorama.Move) uint64 {
 	defer close(merged)
 
-	ms := make([]*pilorama.Move, len(streams))
-	for i := range streams {
-		ms[i] = <-streams[i]
-	}
-
 	// Merging different node streams shuffles incoming operations like that:
 	//
 	// x - operation from the stream A
@@ -150,6 +145,11 @@ func mergeOperationStreams(streams []chan *pilorama.Move, merged chan<- *piloram
 	// operation height from the stream B. This height is stored in minStreamedLastHeight.
 	var minStreamedLastHeight uint64 = math.MaxUint64
 
+	ms := make([]*pilorama.Move, len(streams))
+	for i := range streams {
+		ms[i] = <-streams[i]
+	}
+
 	for {
 		var minTimeMoveTime uint64 = math.MaxUint64
 		minTimeMoveIndex := -1