diff --git a/examples/main.c b/examples/main.c
index bc1eaf1cce9dfebbf4b3ee9397992bc832025956..79ff40de22cb855cd3ef8d855278e904afd4ae8d 100644
--- a/examples/main.c
+++ b/examples/main.c
@@ -750,12 +750,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     else
       bzero(&gravity_properties, sizeof(struct gravity_props));
 
-    /* Initialise the external potential properties */
-    bzero(&potential, sizeof(struct external_potential));
-    if (with_external_gravity)
-      potential_init(params, &prog_const, &us, &s, &potential);
-    if (myrank == 0) potential_print(&potential);
-
       /* Initialise the cooling function properties */
 #ifdef COOLING_NONE
     if (with_cooling || with_temperature) {
@@ -894,6 +888,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
       fflush(stdout);
     }
 
+    /* Initialise the external potential properties */
+    bzero(&potential, sizeof(struct external_potential));
+    if (with_external_gravity)
+      potential_init(params, &prog_const, &us, &s, &potential);
+    if (myrank == 0) potential_print(&potential);
+
     /* Initialise the long-range gravity mesh */
     if (with_self_gravity && periodic) {
 #ifdef HAVE_FFTW