diff --git a/tools/xm-test/tests/create/16_create_smallmem_neg.py b/tools/xm-test/tests/create/16_create_smallmem_neg.py
index 5bbaa6f704..9990add78c 100644
--- a/tools/xm-test/tests/create/16_create_smallmem_neg.py
+++ b/tools/xm-test/tests/create/16_create_smallmem_neg.py
@@ -14,11 +14,9 @@ domain = XmTestDomain(extraConfig={"memory": MEM,
 
 try:
     console = domain.start()
+    console.runCmd("ls")
 except DomainError, e:
     FAIL("Unable to start a domain with %i MB" % MEM)
-
-try:
-    console.runCmd("ls")
 except ConsoleError, e:
     if e.reason == RUNAWAY:
         print "Domain with %i MB has runaway console as expected" % MEM