diff --git a/runtime/interpreter/value.go b/runtime/interpreter/value.go
index b0858ce317..782673d4a3 100644
--- a/runtime/interpreter/value.go
+++ b/runtime/interpreter/value.go
@@ -2989,10 +2989,8 @@ func (v *ArrayValue) Filter(
 		return invocation
 	}
 
-	iterator, err := v.array.Iterator()
-
 	i := 0
-	err = v.array.Iterate(
+	err := v.array.Iterate(
 		func(item atree.Value) (bool, error) {
 			arrayElement := MustConvertStoredValue(interpreter, item)
 
@@ -3013,6 +3011,11 @@ func (v *ArrayValue) Filter(
 		panic(errors.NewExternalError(err))
 	}
 
+	iterator, err := v.array.Iterator()
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(errors.NewExternalError(err))
+	}
+
 	return NewArrayValueWithIterator(
 		interpreter,
 		NewVariableSizedStaticType(interpreter, v.Type.ElementType()),