diff --git a/src/pld/pld.c b/src/pld/pld.c
index e2e0ef413..af1836907 100644
--- a/src/pld/pld.c
+++ b/src/pld/pld.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #include "pld.h"
+#include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <helper/log.h>
 #include <helper/replacements.h>
 #include <helper/time_support.h>
@@ -134,6 +135,22 @@ COMMAND_HANDLER(handle_pld_load_command)
 		return ERROR_OK;
 	}
 
+	struct stat input_stat;
+	if (stat(CMD_ARGV[1], &input_stat) == -1) {
+		LOG_ERROR("couldn't stat() %s: %s", CMD_ARGV[1], strerror(errno));
+		return ERROR_PLD_FILE_LOAD_FAILED;
+	}
+
+	if (S_ISDIR(input_stat.st_mode)) {
+		LOG_ERROR("%s is a directory", CMD_ARGV[1]);
+		return ERROR_PLD_FILE_LOAD_FAILED;
+	}
+
+	if (input_stat.st_size == 0) {
+		LOG_ERROR("Empty file %s", CMD_ARGV[1]);
+		return ERROR_PLD_FILE_LOAD_FAILED;
+	}
+
 	retval = p->driver->load(p, CMD_ARGV[1]);
 	if (retval != ERROR_OK) {
 		command_print(CMD, "failed loading file %s to pld device %u",
diff --git a/src/pld/xilinx_bit.c b/src/pld/xilinx_bit.c
index 792b3375b..e4cc52ef9 100644
--- a/src/pld/xilinx_bit.c
+++ b/src/pld/xilinx_bit.c
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 #include "pld.h"
 #include <helper/log.h>
 
-#include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <helper/system.h>
 
 static int read_section(FILE *input_file, int length_size, char section,
@@ -60,27 +59,11 @@ static int read_section(FILE *input_file, int length_size, char section,
 int xilinx_read_bit_file(struct xilinx_bit_file *bit_file, const char *filename)
 {
 	FILE *input_file;
-	struct stat input_stat;
 	int read_count;
 
 	if (!filename || !bit_file)
 		return ERROR_COMMAND_SYNTAX_ERROR;
 
-	if (stat(filename, &input_stat) == -1) {
-		LOG_ERROR("couldn't stat() %s: %s", filename, strerror(errno));
-		return ERROR_PLD_FILE_LOAD_FAILED;
-	}
-
-	if (S_ISDIR(input_stat.st_mode)) {
-		LOG_ERROR("%s is a directory", filename);
-		return ERROR_PLD_FILE_LOAD_FAILED;
-	}
-
-	if (input_stat.st_size == 0) {
-		LOG_ERROR("Empty file %s", filename);
-		return ERROR_PLD_FILE_LOAD_FAILED;
-	}
-
 	input_file = fopen(filename, "rb");
 	if (!input_file) {
 		LOG_ERROR("couldn't open %s: %s", filename, strerror(errno));