diff --git a/src/romulus-m.ts b/src/romulus-m.ts
index 17e1422..31e7b10 100644
--- a/src/romulus-m.ts
+++ b/src/romulus-m.ts
@@ -271,6 +271,8 @@ export function cryptoAeadDecrypt (ciphertext: number[], associatedData: number[
   ciphertext.length -= 16
   
   let state = zeroedBuffer(16)
+  let counter = resetCounter()
+
   if (ciphertext.length !== 0) {
     state = [...authenticationTag]
     const parsedCiphertext = parse(ciphertext, 16)
@@ -278,8 +280,6 @@ export function cryptoAeadDecrypt (ciphertext: number[], associatedData: number[
     const finalCiphertextBlockLength = parsedCiphertext[parsedCiphertextLength].length
     parsedCiphertext[parsedCiphertextLength] = pad(parsedCiphertext[parsedCiphertextLength], 16)
 
-    var counter = resetCounter()
-
     for (let i = 1; i < parsedCiphertextLength + 1; i++) {
       state = skinnyEncrypt(state, tweakeyEncode(counter, 4, nonce, key))
       let mBlock