diff --git a/chain/tsresolver/tipset_resolver.go b/chain/tsresolver/tipset_resolver.go
index 8fbb85850d..f16b98a577 100644
--- a/chain/tsresolver/tipset_resolver.go
+++ b/chain/tsresolver/tipset_resolver.go
@@ -128,22 +128,24 @@ func (tsr *tipSetResolver) loadFinalizedTipSet(ctx context.Context, fallbackDela
 // certificate with a finalized tipset, it returns nil. This method will only return errors that
 // arise from dealing with the chain store, not from F3.
 func (tsr *tipSetResolver) maybeF3FinalizedTipSet(ctx context.Context) (*types.TipSet, error) {
-	if manifest, err := tsr.f3.GetManifest(ctx); err != nil {
+	// TODO: switch the order of GetManifest and GetLatestCert the former won't panic on
+	// a fresh F3 instance: https://github.com/filecoin-project/lotus/issues/12772
+	cert, err := tsr.f3.GetLatestCert(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
 		if !errors.Is(err, api.ErrF3Disabled) {
-			log.Warnf("loading F3 manifest: %s", err)
+			log.Warnf("loading latest F3 certificate: %s", err)
 		}
 		return nil, nil
-	} else if !manifest.EC.Finalize {
-		// F3 is not finalizing tipsets on top of EC, ignore it
+	}
+	if cert == nil {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 
-	cert, err := tsr.f3.GetLatestCert(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Warnf("loading latest F3 certificate: %s", err)
+	if manifest, err := tsr.f3.GetManifest(ctx); err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("loading F3 manifest: %s", err)
 		return nil, nil
-	}
-	if cert == nil {
+	} else if !manifest.EC.Finalize {
+		// F3 is not finalizing tipsets on top of EC, ignore it
 		return nil, nil
 	}