diff --git a/db/template.go b/db/template.go
index 985e5571d..dc656e0e5 100644
--- a/db/template.go
+++ b/db/template.go
@@ -14,14 +14,14 @@ import (
 
 // CreateTemplate creates a new workflow template
 func (d TinkDB) CreateTemplate(ctx context.Context, name string, data string, id uuid.UUID) error {
-	tx, err := d.instance.BeginTx(ctx, &sql.TxOptions{Isolation: sql.LevelSerializable})
+	_, err := wflow.Parse([]byte(data))
 	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Wrap(err, "BEGIN transaction")
+		return err
 	}
 
-	_, err = wflow.Parse([]byte(data))
+	tx, err := d.instance.BeginTx(ctx, &sql.TxOptions{Isolation: sql.LevelSerializable})
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "BEGIN transaction")
 	}
 
 	_, err = tx.Exec(`