diff --git a/src/subcommand/wallet/inscribe.rs b/src/subcommand/wallet/inscribe.rs
index 92a33b21e2..915613e8fe 100644
--- a/src/subcommand/wallet/inscribe.rs
+++ b/src/subcommand/wallet/inscribe.rs
@@ -58,13 +58,13 @@ pub(crate) struct Inscribe {
 
 impl Inscribe {
   pub(crate) fn run(self, options: Options) -> Result {
-    let client = options.bitcoin_rpc_client_for_wallet_command(false)?;
-
     let inscription = Inscription::from_file(options.chain(), &self.file)?;
 
     let index = Index::open(&options)?;
     index.update()?;
 
+    let client = options.bitcoin_rpc_client_for_wallet_command(false)?;
+
     let mut utxos = index.get_unspent_outputs(Wallet::load(&options)?)?;
 
     let inscriptions = index.get_inscriptions(None)?;
diff --git a/src/subcommand/wallet/send.rs b/src/subcommand/wallet/send.rs
index a5e096ed0a..85a22f3c09 100644
--- a/src/subcommand/wallet/send.rs
+++ b/src/subcommand/wallet/send.rs
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ pub struct Output {
 
 impl Send {
   pub(crate) fn run(self, options: Options) -> Result {
-    let client = options.bitcoin_rpc_client_for_wallet_command(false)?;
-
     if !self.address.is_valid_for_network(options.chain().network()) {
       bail!(
         "Address `{}` is not valid for {}",
@@ -28,6 +26,8 @@ impl Send {
     let index = Index::open(&options)?;
     index.update()?;
 
+    let client = options.bitcoin_rpc_client_for_wallet_command(false)?;
+
     let unspent_outputs = index.get_unspent_outputs(Wallet::load(&options)?)?;
 
     let inscriptions = index.get_inscriptions(None)?;
diff --git a/tests/wallet/inscribe.rs b/tests/wallet/inscribe.rs
index 4be097c8dd..16b486037e 100644
--- a/tests/wallet/inscribe.rs
+++ b/tests/wallet/inscribe.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ fn inscribe_fails_if_bitcoin_core_is_too_old() {
   let rpc_server = test_bitcoincore_rpc::builder().version(230000).build();
 
   CommandBuilder::new("wallet inscribe hello.txt")
+    .write("hello.txt", "HELLOWORLD")
     .expected_exit_code(1)
     .expected_stderr("error: Bitcoin Core 24.0.0 or newer required, current version is 23.0.0\n")
     .rpc_server(&rpc_server)