diff --git a/src/GafferUSD/USDShader.cpp b/src/GafferUSD/USDShader.cpp
index 2aa455ae32e..c32764c8357 100644
--- a/src/GafferUSD/USDShader.cpp
+++ b/src/GafferUSD/USDShader.cpp
@@ -292,6 +292,9 @@ void USDShader::loadShader( const std::string &shaderName, bool keepExistingValu
 		throw Exception( fmt::format( "Shader \"{}\" not found in SdrRegistry", shaderName ) );
 	}
 
+	namePlug()->setValue( shaderName );
+	typePlug()->setValue( "surface" );
+
 	Plug *parametersPlug = this->parametersPlug()->source();
 
 	if( !keepExistingValues )
@@ -331,9 +334,6 @@ void USDShader::loadShader( const std::string &shaderName, bool keepExistingValu
 			outPlug->removeChild( child );
 		}
 	}
-
-	namePlug()->setValue( shaderName );
-	typePlug()->setValue( "surface" );
 }
 
 IECore::ConstCompoundObjectPtr USDShader::attributes( const Gaffer::Plug *output ) const