diff --git a/Eigen/src/SparseCore/CompressedStorage.h b/Eigen/src/SparseCore/CompressedStorage.h
index d667944ce..2199848e9 100644
--- a/Eigen/src/SparseCore/CompressedStorage.h
+++ b/Eigen/src/SparseCore/CompressedStorage.h
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ class CompressedStorage
 
     CompressedStorage& operator=(const CompressedStorage& other)
     {
+      resize(other.size());
       if(other.size()>0)
       {
-        resize(other.size());
         internal::smart_copy(other.m_values,  other.m_values  + m_size, m_values);
         internal::smart_copy(other.m_indices, other.m_indices + m_size, m_indices);
       }