diff --git a/src/rbindlist.c b/src/rbindlist.c
index e957ea456..d14fb9a3c 100644
--- a/src/rbindlist.c
+++ b/src/rbindlist.c
@@ -526,10 +526,11 @@ SEXP rbindlist(SEXP l, SEXP usenamesArg, SEXP fillArg, SEXP idcolArg)
             // else coerces if needed within memrecycle; with a no-alloc direct coerce from 1.12.4 (PR #3909)
             const char *ret = memrecycle(target, R_NilValue, ansloc, thisnrow, thisCol, 0, -1, idcol+j+1, foundName);
             UNPROTECT(1); // earlier unprotect rbindlist calls with lots of lists #4536
+            if (ret) warning(_("Column %d of item %d: %s"), w+1, i+1, ret);
           } else {
             const char *ret = memrecycle(target, R_NilValue, ansloc, thisnrow, thisCol, 0, -1, idcol+j+1, foundName);
+            if (ret) warning(_("Column %d of item %d: %s"), w+1, i+1, ret);
           }
-          if (ret) warning(_("Column %d of item %d: %s"), w+1, i+1, ret);
           // e.g. when precision is lost like assigning 3.4 to integer64; test 2007.2
           // TODO: but maxType should handle that and this should never warn
         }