diff --git a/sql3/planner/opaltertable.go b/sql3/planner/opaltertable.go
index 6da8db0e5..2b6495843 100644
--- a/sql3/planner/opaltertable.go
+++ b/sql3/planner/opaltertable.go
@@ -94,11 +94,11 @@ func (i *alterTableRowIter) Next(ctx context.Context) (types.Row, error) {
 		fos := i.columnDef.fos
 
 		fld, err := pilosa.FieldFromFieldOptions(fname, fos...)
-		// all newly created fields unconditionally have TrackExistence turned on.
-		fld.Options.TrackExistence = true
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+		// all newly created fields unconditionally have TrackExistence turned on.
+		fld.Options.TrackExistence = true
 
 		if err := i.planner.schemaAPI.CreateField(ctx, tname, fld); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
diff --git a/sql3/planner/opcreatetable.go b/sql3/planner/opcreatetable.go
index 25de51bbf..5b143c9b6 100644
--- a/sql3/planner/opcreatetable.go
+++ b/sql3/planner/opcreatetable.go
@@ -112,11 +112,11 @@ func (i *createTableRowIter) Next(ctx context.Context) (types.Row, error) {
 
 	for _, f := range i.columns {
 		fld, err := pilosa.FieldFromFieldOptions(dax.FieldName(f.name), f.fos...)
-		// We unconditionally turn on TrackExistence for all newly-created fields.
-		fld.Options.TrackExistence = true
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "creating field from field options: %s", f.name)
 		}
+		// We unconditionally turn on TrackExistence for all newly-created fields.
+		fld.Options.TrackExistence = true
 		fields = append(fields, fld)
 	}
 
diff --git a/sql3/test/defs/defs_create_table.go b/sql3/test/defs/defs_create_table.go
index 724dd03f2..b80ffe81f 100644
--- a/sql3/test/defs/defs_create_table.go
+++ b/sql3/test/defs/defs_create_table.go
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ var createTable = TableTest{
 			),
 			ExpErr: "expected literal, found bad",
 		},
+		{
+			name: "minAboveMax",
+			SQLs: sqls(
+				"create table bar (_id id, i1 int min 20 max 19)",
+			),
+			ExpErr: "int field min cannot be greater than max",
+		},
 		{
 			name: "commentString",
 			SQLs: sqls(