diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/fields/pointPatchFields/basic/value/valuePointPatchField.C b/src/OpenFOAM/fields/pointPatchFields/basic/value/valuePointPatchField.C
index 5bbad239ef..e7f1095996 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/fields/pointPatchFields/basic/value/valuePointPatchField.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/fields/pointPatchFields/basic/value/valuePointPatchField.C
@@ -38,10 +38,8 @@ bool Foam::valuePointPatchField<Type>::readValueEntry
     IOobjectOption::readOption readOpt
 )
 {
-    const auto& p = pointPatchFieldBase::patch();
-
-    if (!p.size()) return true;  // Can be exceptionally lazy
     if (!IOobjectOption::isAnyRead(readOpt)) return false;
+    const auto& p = pointPatchFieldBase::patch();
 
 
     const auto* eptr = dict.findEntry("value", keyType::LITERAL);
diff --git a/src/finiteArea/fields/faPatchFields/basic/mixed/mixedFaPatchField.C b/src/finiteArea/fields/faPatchFields/basic/mixed/mixedFaPatchField.C
index 36defc1d88..bcc81e72e7 100644
--- a/src/finiteArea/fields/faPatchFields/basic/mixed/mixedFaPatchField.C
+++ b/src/finiteArea/fields/faPatchFields/basic/mixed/mixedFaPatchField.C
@@ -37,10 +37,8 @@ bool Foam::mixedFaPatchField<Type>::readMixedEntries
     IOobjectOption::readOption readOpt
 )
 {
-    const auto& p = faPatchFieldBase::patch();
-
-    if (!p.size()) return true;  // Can be exceptionally lazy
     if (!IOobjectOption::isAnyRead(readOpt)) return false;
+    const auto& p = faPatchFieldBase::patch();
 
 
     // If there is a 'refValue', also require all others
diff --git a/src/finiteArea/fields/faPatchFields/faPatchField/faPatchField.C b/src/finiteArea/fields/faPatchFields/faPatchField/faPatchField.C
index c1ba7ffb4f..6441d0a4fc 100644
--- a/src/finiteArea/fields/faPatchFields/faPatchField/faPatchField.C
+++ b/src/finiteArea/fields/faPatchFields/faPatchField/faPatchField.C
@@ -39,10 +39,8 @@ bool Foam::faPatchField<Type>::readValueEntry
     IOobjectOption::readOption readOpt
 )
 {
-    const auto& p = faPatchFieldBase::patch();
-
-    if (!p.size()) return true;  // Can be exceptionally lazy
     if (!IOobjectOption::isAnyRead(readOpt)) return false;
+    const auto& p = faPatchFieldBase::patch();
 
 
     const auto* eptr = dict.findEntry("value", keyType::LITERAL);
diff --git a/src/finiteArea/fields/faePatchFields/faePatchField/faePatchField.C b/src/finiteArea/fields/faePatchFields/faePatchField/faePatchField.C
index 45c84aae51..b843d9fe41 100644
--- a/src/finiteArea/fields/faePatchFields/faePatchField/faePatchField.C
+++ b/src/finiteArea/fields/faePatchFields/faePatchField/faePatchField.C
@@ -38,10 +38,8 @@ bool Foam::faePatchField<Type>::readValueEntry
     IOobjectOption::readOption readOpt
 )
 {
-    const auto& p = faePatchFieldBase::patch();
-
-    if (!p.size()) return true;  // Can be exceptionally lazy
     if (!IOobjectOption::isAnyRead(readOpt)) return false;
+    const auto& p = faePatchFieldBase::patch();
 
 
     const auto* eptr = dict.findEntry("value", keyType::LITERAL);
diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/basic/mixed/mixedFvPatchField.C b/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/basic/mixed/mixedFvPatchField.C
index e8f4c61efb..80dd0a9718 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/basic/mixed/mixedFvPatchField.C
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/basic/mixed/mixedFvPatchField.C
@@ -37,10 +37,8 @@ bool Foam::mixedFvPatchField<Type>::readMixedEntries
     IOobjectOption::readOption readOpt
 )
 {
-    const auto& p = fvPatchFieldBase::patch();
-
-    if (!p.size()) return true;  // Can be exceptionally lazy
     if (!IOobjectOption::isAnyRead(readOpt)) return false;
+    const auto& p = fvPatchFieldBase::patch();
 
 
     // If there is a 'refValue', also require all others
diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/fvPatchField/fvPatchField.C b/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/fvPatchField/fvPatchField.C
index 5803bce2d3..99e4a31719 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/fvPatchField/fvPatchField.C
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvPatchFields/fvPatchField/fvPatchField.C
@@ -41,10 +41,8 @@ bool Foam::fvPatchField<Type>::readValueEntry
     IOobjectOption::readOption readOpt
 )
 {
-    const auto& p = fvPatchFieldBase::patch();
-
-    if (!p.size()) return true;  // Can be exceptionally lazy
     if (!IOobjectOption::isAnyRead(readOpt)) return false;
+    const auto& p = fvPatchFieldBase::patch();
 
 
     const auto* eptr = dict.findEntry("value", keyType::LITERAL);
diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvsPatchFields/fvsPatchField/fvsPatchField.C b/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvsPatchFields/fvsPatchField/fvsPatchField.C
index 07854658fb..9154558752 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvsPatchFields/fvsPatchField/fvsPatchField.C
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/fields/fvsPatchFields/fvsPatchField/fvsPatchField.C
@@ -41,10 +41,8 @@ bool Foam::fvsPatchField<Type>::readValueEntry
     IOobjectOption::readOption readOpt
 )
 {
-    const auto& p = fvsPatchFieldBase::patch();
-
-    if (!p.size()) return true;  // Can be exceptionally lazy
     if (!IOobjectOption::isAnyRead(readOpt)) return false;
+    const auto& p = fvsPatchFieldBase::patch();
 
 
     const auto* eptr = dict.findEntry("value", keyType::LITERAL);