diff --git a/command/taint.go b/command/taint.go
index 4dc16e60c..4e0ea6a69 100644
--- a/command/taint.go
+++ b/command/taint.go
@@ -77,10 +77,6 @@ func (c *TaintCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to load state: %s", err))
 		return 1
 	}
-	if err := st.RefreshState(); err != nil {
-		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to load state: %s", err))
-		return 1
-	}
 
 	if c.stateLock {
 		stateLocker := clistate.NewLocker(context.Background(), c.stateLockTimeout, c.Ui, c.Colorize())
@@ -91,6 +87,11 @@ func (c *TaintCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		defer stateLocker.Unlock(nil)
 	}
 
+	if err := st.RefreshState(); err != nil {
+		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to load state: %s", err))
+		return 1
+	}
+
 	// Get the actual state structure
 	s := st.State()
 	if s.Empty() {
diff --git a/command/untaint.go b/command/untaint.go
index 39d047fd6..cc6923f08 100644
--- a/command/untaint.go
+++ b/command/untaint.go
@@ -65,10 +65,6 @@ func (c *UntaintCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to load state: %s", err))
 		return 1
 	}
-	if err := st.RefreshState(); err != nil {
-		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to load state: %s", err))
-		return 1
-	}
 
 	if c.stateLock {
 		stateLocker := clistate.NewLocker(context.Background(), c.stateLockTimeout, c.Ui, c.Colorize())
@@ -79,6 +75,11 @@ func (c *UntaintCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		defer stateLocker.Unlock(nil)
 	}
 
+	if err := st.RefreshState(); err != nil {
+		c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Failed to load state: %s", err))
+		return 1
+	}
+
 	// Get the actual state structure
 	s := st.State()
 	if s.Empty() {