diff --git a/target/riscv/vector_helper.c b/target/riscv/vector_helper.c
index 08c7b4eaaf..9394a7233c 100644
--- a/target/riscv/vector_helper.c
+++ b/target/riscv/vector_helper.c
@@ -2151,8 +2151,6 @@ vext_vv_rm_1(void *vd, void *v0, void *vs1, void *vs2,
              uint32_t vl, uint32_t vm, int vxrm,
              opivv2_rm_fn *fn, uint32_t vma, uint32_t esz)
 {
-    VSTART_CHECK_EARLY_EXIT(env, vl);
-
     for (uint32_t i = env->vstart; i < vl; i++) {
         if (!vm && !vext_elem_mask(v0, i)) {
             /* set masked-off elements to 1s */
@@ -2176,6 +2174,8 @@ vext_vv_rm_2(void *vd, void *v0, void *vs1, void *vs2,
     uint32_t vta = vext_vta(desc);
     uint32_t vma = vext_vma(desc);
 
+    VSTART_CHECK_EARLY_EXIT(env, vl);
+
     switch (env->vxrm) {
     case 0: /* rnu */
         vext_vv_rm_1(vd, v0, vs1, vs2,
@@ -2278,8 +2278,6 @@ vext_vx_rm_1(void *vd, void *v0, target_long s1, void *vs2,
              uint32_t vl, uint32_t vm, int vxrm,
              opivx2_rm_fn *fn, uint32_t vma, uint32_t esz)
 {
-    VSTART_CHECK_EARLY_EXIT(env, vl);
-
     for (uint32_t i = env->vstart; i < vl; i++) {
         if (!vm && !vext_elem_mask(v0, i)) {
             /* set masked-off elements to 1s */
@@ -2303,6 +2301,8 @@ vext_vx_rm_2(void *vd, void *v0, target_long s1, void *vs2,
     uint32_t vta = vext_vta(desc);
     uint32_t vma = vext_vma(desc);
 
+    VSTART_CHECK_EARLY_EXIT(env, vl);
+
     switch (env->vxrm) {
     case 0: /* rnu */
         vext_vx_rm_1(vd, v0, s1, vs2,
@@ -4638,6 +4638,8 @@ void HELPER(NAME)(void *vd, void *v0, void *vs1,          \
     uint32_t i;                                           \
     TD s1 =  *((TD *)vs1 + HD(0));                        \
                                                           \
+    VSTART_CHECK_EARLY_EXIT(env, vl);                     \
+                                                          \
     for (i = env->vstart; i < vl; i++) {                  \
         TS2 s2 = *((TS2 *)vs2 + HS2(i));                  \
         if (!vm && !vext_elem_mask(v0, i)) {              \
@@ -4726,6 +4728,8 @@ void HELPER(NAME)(void *vd, void *v0, void *vs1,           \
     uint32_t i;                                            \
     TD s1 =  *((TD *)vs1 + HD(0));                         \
                                                            \
+    VSTART_CHECK_EARLY_EXIT(env, vl);                      \
+                                                           \
     for (i = env->vstart; i < vl; i++) {                   \
         TS2 s2 = *((TS2 *)vs2 + HS2(i));                   \
         if (!vm && !vext_elem_mask(v0, i)) {               \
@@ -4890,6 +4894,8 @@ static void vmsetm(void *vd, void *v0, void *vs2, CPURISCVState *env,
     int i;
     bool first_mask_bit = false;
 
+    VSTART_CHECK_EARLY_EXIT(env, vl);
+
     for (i = env->vstart; i < vl; i++) {
         if (!vm && !vext_elem_mask(v0, i)) {
             /* set masked-off elements to 1s */
@@ -4962,6 +4968,8 @@ void HELPER(NAME)(void *vd, void *v0, void *vs2, CPURISCVState *env,      \
     uint32_t sum = 0;                                                     \
     int i;                                                                \
                                                                           \
+    VSTART_CHECK_EARLY_EXIT(env, vl);                                     \
+                                                                          \
     for (i = env->vstart; i < vl; i++) {                                  \
         if (!vm && !vext_elem_mask(v0, i)) {                              \
             /* set masked-off elements to 1s */                           \
@@ -5320,6 +5328,8 @@ void HELPER(NAME)(void *vd, void *v0, void *vs1, void *vs2,               \
     uint32_t vta = vext_vta(desc);                                        \
     uint32_t num = 0, i;                                                  \
                                                                           \
+    VSTART_CHECK_EARLY_EXIT(env, vl);                                     \
+                                                                          \
     for (i = env->vstart; i < vl; i++) {                                  \
         if (!vext_elem_mask(vs1, i)) {                                    \
             continue;                                                     \