diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/loader.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/loader.js
index cfb227c92..f3762ef36 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/loader.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/registry/lib/loader.js
@@ -344,30 +344,9 @@ function loadNodeSet(node) {
     } else {
     }
     try {
-        var loadPromise = null;
         var r = require(node.file);
         r = r.__esModule ? r.default : r;
-        if (typeof r === "function") {
-
-            var red = registryUtil.createNodeApi(node);
-            var promise = r(red);
-            if (promise != null && typeof promise.then === "function") {
-                loadPromise = promise.then(function() {
-                    node.enabled = true;
-                    node.loaded = true;
-                    return node;
-                }).catch(function(err) {
-                    node.err = err;
-                    return node;
-                });
-            }
-        }
-        if (loadPromise == null) {
-            node.enabled = true;
-            node.loaded = true;
-            loadPromise = Promise.resolve(node);
-        }
-        return loadPromise;
+        return createLoadPromise(node, r);
     } catch(err) {
         node.err = err;
         var stack = err.stack;
@@ -391,6 +370,31 @@ function loadNodeSet(node) {
         }
         return Promise.resolve(node);
     }
+
+    function createLoadPromise(node, r) {
+        var loadPromise = null;
+        if (typeof r === "function") {
+
+            var red = registryUtil.createNodeApi(node);
+            var promise = r(red);
+            if (promise != null && typeof promise.then === "function") {
+                loadPromise = promise.then(function () {
+                    node.enabled = true;
+                    node.loaded = true;
+                    return node;
+                }).catch(function (err) {
+                    node.err = err;
+                    return node;
+                });
+            }
+        }
+        if (loadPromise == null) {
+            node.enabled = true;
+            node.loaded = true;
+            loadPromise = Promise.resolve(node);
+        }
+        return loadPromise;
+    }
 }
 
 async function loadPlugin(plugin) {