diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/ufoLib/glifLib.py b/Lib/fontTools/ufoLib/glifLib.py
index 24ab284e4..8f5cba064 100755
--- a/Lib/fontTools/ufoLib/glifLib.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/ufoLib/glifLib.py
@@ -1191,12 +1191,12 @@ def _readGlyphFromTreeFormat1(
             haveSeenAdvance = True
             _readAdvance(glyphObject, element)
         elif element.tag == "unicode":
-            if element.get("hex") is None:
+            v = element.get("hex")
+            if v is None:
                 raise GlifLibError(
                     "A unicode element is missing its required hex attribute."
                 )
             try:
-                v = element.get("hex")
                 v = int(v, 16)
                 if v not in unicodes:
                     unicodes.append(v)
@@ -1258,12 +1258,12 @@ def _readGlyphFromTreeFormat2(
             haveSeenAdvance = True
             _readAdvance(glyphObject, element)
         elif element.tag == "unicode":
-            if element.get("hex") is None:
+            v = element.get("hex")
+            if v is None:
                 raise GlifLibError(
                     "A unicode element is missing its required hex attribute."
                 )
             try:
-                v = element.get("hex")
                 v = int(v, 16)
                 if v not in unicodes:
                     unicodes.append(v)