diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/synx.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/synx.dm
index 021c1b7574..f12e234951 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/synx.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/simple_animal/animals/synx.dm
@@ -211,9 +211,9 @@ mob/living/simple_animal/synx/PunchTarget()
 //PET speechcode, simplistic but more than enough for the PET
 /mob/living/simple_animal/retaliate/synx/pet/hear_say(message)
 	. = ..()
+	if(!message)    return
 	if(resting)
 		resting = !resting
-	if(!message)    return
 	if(message)
 	if(speak.len>=memorysize)
 		speak -= (pick(speak))//making the list more dynamic