diff --git a/tools/doc/generate.js b/tools/doc/generate.js
index f369427a8aaf19..1691db5ec0046b 100644
--- a/tools/doc/generate.js
+++ b/tools/doc/generate.js
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ function next(er, input) {
   switch (format) {
     case 'json':
       require('./json.js')(input, filename, (er, obj) => {
-        console.log(JSON.stringify(obj, null, 2));
         if (er) throw er;
+        console.log(JSON.stringify(obj, null, 2));
       });
       break;