diff --git a/library/aes.c b/library/aes.c
index b0aea00..dff424b 100644
--- a/library/aes.c
+++ b/library/aes.c
@@ -531,14 +531,7 @@
     unsigned int i;
     uint32_t *RK;
 
-#if !defined(MBEDTLS_AES_ROM_TABLES)
-    if( aes_init_done == 0 )
-    {
-        aes_gen_tables();
-        aes_init_done = 1;
-
-    }
-#endif
+    MBEDTLS_AES_VALIDATE( ctx != NULL && key != NULL );
 
     switch( keybits )
     {
@@ -548,6 +541,15 @@
         default : return( MBEDTLS_ERR_AES_INVALID_KEY_LENGTH );
     }
 
+#if !defined(MBEDTLS_AES_ROM_TABLES)
+    if( aes_init_done == 0 )
+    {
+        aes_gen_tables();
+        aes_init_done = 1;
+
+    }
+#endif
+
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_PADLOCK_C) && defined(MBEDTLS_PADLOCK_ALIGN16)
     if( aes_padlock_ace == -1 )
         aes_padlock_ace = mbedtls_padlock_has_support( MBEDTLS_PADLOCK_ACE );