diff --git a/IccProfLib/IccCmm.cpp b/IccProfLib/IccCmm.cpp
index a43e98771..7be4a0a34 100644
--- a/IccProfLib/IccCmm.cpp
+++ b/IccProfLib/IccCmm.cpp
@@ -8309,6 +8309,11 @@ icStatusCMM CIccCmm::AddXform(CIccProfile *pProfile,
       nIntent = icPerceptual;
   }
 
+  // this must check before creating the Xform, because that can delete the profile
+  if (pProfile->m_Header.deviceClass == icSigMaterialVisualizationClass) {
+    bInput = true;
+  }
+
   CIccXformPtr Xform;
   
   Xform.ptr = CIccXform::Create(pProfile, bInput, nIntent, nInterp, pPcc, nLutType, bUseD2BxB2DxTags, pHintManager);
@@ -8317,10 +8322,6 @@ icStatusCMM CIccCmm::AddXform(CIccProfile *pProfile,
     return icCmmStatBadXform;
   }
 
-  if (pProfile->m_Header.deviceClass==icSigMaterialVisualizationClass) {
-    bInput = true;
-  }
-
   m_nLastSpace = nDstSpace;
   m_nLastParentSpace = nParentSpace;
   m_nLastIntent = nIntent;