diff --git a/storagenode/piecestore/endpoint.go b/storagenode/piecestore/endpoint.go
index ba3e4abbc..05d3cd7d6 100644
--- a/storagenode/piecestore/endpoint.go
+++ b/storagenode/piecestore/endpoint.go
@@ -727,6 +727,25 @@ func (endpoint *Endpoint) Download(stream pb.DRPCPiecestore_DownloadStream) (err
 		// ensure that we always terminate sending goroutine
 		defer throttle.Fail(io.EOF)
 
+		handleOrder := func(order *pb.Order) error {
+			if err := endpoint.VerifyOrder(ctx, limit, order, largestOrder.Amount); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			chunkSize := order.Amount - largestOrder.Amount
+			if err := throttle.Produce(chunkSize); err != nil {
+				// shouldn't happen since only receiving side is calling Fail
+				return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
+			}
+			largestOrder = *order
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		if message.Order != nil {
+			if err = handleOrder(message.Order); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
 		for {
 			// N.B.: we are only allowed to use message if the returned error is nil. it would be
 			// a race condition otherwise as Run does not wait for the closure to exit.
@@ -749,16 +768,9 @@ func (endpoint *Endpoint) Download(stream pb.DRPCPiecestore_DownloadStream) (err
 				return rpcstatus.Error(rpcstatus.InvalidArgument, "expected order as the message")
 			}
 
-			if err := endpoint.VerifyOrder(ctx, limit, message.Order, largestOrder.Amount); err != nil {
+			if err = handleOrder(message.Order); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-
-			chunkSize := message.Order.Amount - largestOrder.Amount
-			if err := throttle.Produce(chunkSize); err != nil {
-				// shouldn't happen since only receiving side is calling Fail
-				return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
-			}
-			largestOrder = *message.Order
 		}
 	}()