diff --git a/contracts/p2pix.sol b/contracts/p2pix.sol
index 56569e5..118e6f4 100644
--- a/contracts/p2pix.sol
+++ b/contracts/p2pix.sol
@@ -167,6 +167,18 @@ contract P2PIX is BaseUtils {
         address sender; uint256 forwarder;
         (sender, forwarder) = _isTrustedForwarder();
 
+        if (merkleProof.length != 0) {
+            _merkleVerify( merkleProof, sellerAllowList(k), msg.sender);
+
+        } else if (_amount > REPUTATION_LOWERBOUND && forwarder == 0) {
+            
+            uint256 userCredit = userRecord[_castAddrToKey(msg.sender)];
+            uint256 spendLimit; (spendLimit) = _limiter(userCredit / WAD);
+            if ( 
+                _amount > (spendLimit * WAD) || _amount > LOCKAMOUNT_UPPERBOUND 
+            ) revert AmountNotAllowed();
+        }
+
         DT.Lock memory l = DT.Lock(
             k,
             cCounter,
@@ -177,30 +189,7 @@ contract P2PIX is BaseUtils {
             sender
         );
 
-        // transaction forwarding must leave `merkleProof` empty;
-        // otherwise, the trustedForwarder must be previously added 
-        // to a seller whitelist.
-        if (merkleProof.length != 0) {
-            _merkleVerify(merkleProof, sellerAllowList(k), sender);
-            lockID = _addLock(bal, _amount, cCounter, l, t, k);
-
-        } else {
-            if (l.amount <= REPUTATION_LOWERBOUND) {
-            lockID = _addLock(bal, _amount, cCounter, l, t, k);
-
-        } else {
-            if (forwarder != 0) {
-                lockID = _addLock(bal, _amount, cCounter, l, t, k);
-        } else {
-            uint256 userCredit = userRecord[_castAddrToKey(msg.sender)];
-            uint256 spendLimit; (spendLimit) = _limiter(userCredit / WAD);
-            if ( 
-                l.amount > (spendLimit * WAD) || 
-                l.amount > LOCKAMOUNT_UPPERBOUND 
-            ) revert AmountNotAllowed();
-            lockID = _addLock(bal, _amount, cCounter, l, t, k);
-
-        /*  */}/*  */}/*  */}
+        lockID = _addLock(bal, _amount, cCounter, l, t, k);
     }
 
     /// @notice Lock release method that liquidate lock