diff --git a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASTextNode.mm b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASTextNode.mm
index 9ad5437b59..7eac0593dc 100644
--- a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASTextNode.mm
+++ b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASTextNode.mm
@@ -336,14 +336,14 @@ static NSArray *DefaultLinkAttributeNames = @[ NSLinkAttributeName ];
 
 - (void)setAttributedString:(NSAttributedString *)attributedString
 {
-  if (ASObjectIsEqual(attributedString, _attributedString)) {
-    return;
-  }
-
   if (attributedString == nil) {
     attributedString = [[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:@"" attributes:nil];
   }
 
+  if (ASObjectIsEqual(attributedString, _attributedString)) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   _attributedString = ASCleanseAttributedStringOfCoreTextAttributes(attributedString);
 
   // Sync the truncation string with attributes from the updated _attributedString