diff --git a/pymods/irods_utils/irods_utils.py b/pymods/irods_utils/irods_utils.py
index da16c3ac365ecf9c9f2e661a3e37361456bcdc45..201321cac37b58b079846b9842470dfafab8c60d 100644
--- a/pymods/irods_utils/irods_utils.py
+++ b/pymods/irods_utils/irods_utils.py
@@ -92,14 +92,15 @@ def get_irods_session( host, port, zone, user, password,
 
         except Exception as e:
             # This seems fishy... but we are getting a bunch of zombie irods connects.
+            logger.error("Exception opening irods session. ex: " + str(e) )
+            logger.error( e )
+
             try:
                 if irods_sesh != None :
                     irods_sesh.cleanup()
                     logger.error( "Cleaned up non-None irods_sesh after failing a 'get' ... strange." )
             except Exception as ex:
                 logger.error( "Could not clean up non-None irods_sesh. ex: " + str (ex) )
-            logger.error("Exception opening irods session. ex: " + str(e) )
-            logger.error( e )
 
             if do_not_block:
                 logger.info( "Returning fail baesd on do_not_block==False.  do_not_block: " + str( do_not_block ) )