diff --git a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
index 19370f62b..d0cc24be4 100755
--- a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -938,6 +938,9 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
                     '[%s] playlist %s: Downloading %d videos' %
                     (ie_result['extractor'], playlist, num_entries))
 
+            if self.params.get('playlistreverse', False):
+                ie_entries = ie_entries[::-1]
+
             if isinstance(ie_entries, list):
                 n_all_entries = len(ie_entries)
                 if playlistitems:
@@ -970,9 +973,6 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
                 n_entries = len(entries)
                 report_download(n_entries)
 
-            if self.params.get('playlistreverse', False):
-                entries = entries[::-1]
-
             if self.params.get('playlistrandom', False):
                 random.shuffle(entries)