diff --git a/src/pxar/metadata.rs b/src/pxar/metadata.rs
index 12a89cbe..8d24d85f 100644
--- a/src/pxar/metadata.rs
+++ b/src/pxar/metadata.rs
@@ -133,10 +133,6 @@ pub fn apply(
         .or_else(&mut *on_error)?;
     }
 
-    if metadata.stat.flags != 0 {
-        apply_flags(flags, fd, metadata.stat.flags).or_else(&mut *on_error)?;
-    }
-
     let res = c_result!(unsafe {
         libc::utimensat(
             libc::AT_FDCWD,
@@ -157,6 +153,10 @@ pub fn apply(
         }
     }
 
+    if metadata.stat.flags != 0 {
+        apply_flags(flags, fd, metadata.stat.flags).or_else(&mut *on_error)?;
+    }
+
     Ok(())
 }