diff --git a/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py b/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py
index fecdf8ed86..122b34faea 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/media/v1/preview_url_resource.py
@@ -45,7 +45,15 @@ class PreviewUrlResource(Resource):
 
     def __init__(self, hs, media_repo):
         Resource.__init__(self)
+
+        self.auth = hs.get_auth()
+        self.clock = hs.get_clock()
+        self.version_string = hs.version_string
+        self.filepaths = media_repo.filepaths
+        self.max_spider_size = hs.config.max_spider_size
+        self.server_name = hs.hostname
         self.client = SpiderHttpClient(hs)
+
         if hasattr(hs.config, "url_preview_url_blacklist"):
             self.url_preview_url_blacklist = hs.config.url_preview_url_blacklist
 
@@ -60,13 +68,6 @@ class PreviewUrlResource(Resource):
 
         self.downloads = {}
 
-        self.auth = hs.get_auth()
-        self.clock = hs.get_clock()
-        self.version_string = hs.version_string
-        self.filepaths = media_repo.filepaths
-        self.max_spider_size = hs.config.max_spider_size
-        self.server_name = hs.hostname
-
     def render_GET(self, request):
         self._async_render_GET(request)
         return NOT_DONE_YET