diff --git a/moderation/moderation.py b/moderation/moderation.py
index a54a210..4ce8aaa 100644
--- a/moderation/moderation.py
+++ b/moderation/moderation.py
@@ -920,15 +920,10 @@ class Moderation(commands.Cog):
             Display infractions in a grid arrangement (does not look very good)
         export: bool
             Exports the server's entire moderation history to a JSON file"""
-        await interaction.response.defer(ephemeral=ephemeral)
-
-        permissions = self.check_permissions(interaction.client.user, ['embed_links'], interaction)
-        if permissions:
-            await interaction.followup.send(f"I do not have the `{permissions}` permission, required for this action.", ephemeral=True)
-            return
-
-        database = await self.connect()
-        cursor = database.cursor()
+        if ephemeral is None:
+            ephemeral = (await self.config.user(interaction.user).history_ephemeral()
+                or await self.config.guild(interaction.guild).history_ephemeral()
+                or False)
 
         if pagesize is None:
             if inline is True:
@@ -945,10 +940,15 @@ class Moderation(commands.Cog):
                 or await self.config.guild(interaction.guild).history_inline()
                 or False)
 
-        if ephemeral is None:
-            ephemeral = (await self.config.user(interaction.user).history_ephemeral()
-                or await self.config.guild(interaction.guild).history_ephemeral()
-                or False)
+        await interaction.response.defer(ephemeral=ephemeral)
+
+        permissions = self.check_permissions(interaction.client.user, ['embed_links'], interaction)
+        if permissions:
+            await interaction.followup.send(f"I do not have the `{permissions}` permission, required for this action.", ephemeral=True)
+            return
+
+        database = await self.connect()
+        cursor = database.cursor()
 
         if target:
             query = """SELECT *