diff --git a/rust2rpm/crate.py b/rust2rpm/crate.py
index 24472c2..b17428e 100644
--- a/rust2rpm/crate.py
+++ b/rust2rpm/crate.py
@@ -209,6 +209,12 @@ def process_project(
         # set version to the latest stable version if it was not specified
         crate_file_path, version = download_crate(project, version)
 
+    if store_crate:
+        copy_target = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), f"{package.name}-{package.version}.crate")
+
+        if not (os.path.exists(copy_target) and os.path.samefile(crate_file_path, copy_target)):
+            shutil.copy2(crate_file_path, copy_target)
+
     # process files from  a .crate archive
     with files_from_crate(crate_file_path, name, version) as (toml_path, doc_files, license_files):
         if not license_files:
@@ -228,10 +234,4 @@ def process_project(
         # ensure metadata is up-to-date with changes from patches
         metadata = Metadata.from_cargo(toml_path)
 
-    if store_crate:
-        copy_target = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), f"{package.name}-{package.version}.crate")
-
-        if not (os.path.exists(copy_target) and os.path.samefile(crate_file_path, copy_target)):
-            shutil.copy2(crate_file_path, copy_target)
-
     return name, diffs, metadata, doc_files, license_files