diff --git a/kallithea/model/scm.py b/kallithea/model/scm.py
--- a/kallithea/model/scm.py
+++ b/kallithea/model/scm.py
@@ -628,8 +628,8 @@ class ScmModel(BaseModel):
 
         processed_nodes = []
         for f_path in nodes:
+            content = nodes[f_path]['content']
             f_path = self._sanitize_path(f_path)
-            content = nodes[f_path]['content']
             f_path = safe_str(f_path)
             # decoding here will force that we have proper encoded values
             # in any other case this will throw exceptions and deny commit