diff --git a/flow/workflows/qrep_flow.go b/flow/workflows/qrep_flow.go
index 3b8e77a686..479b670876 100644
--- a/flow/workflows/qrep_flow.go
+++ b/flow/workflows/qrep_flow.go
@@ -404,6 +404,11 @@ func QRepFlowWorkflow(
 
 	q := NewQRepFlowExecution(ctx, config, runUUID)
 
+	err = q.SetupWatermarkTableOnDestination(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to setup watermark table: %w", err)
+	}
+
 	err = q.SetupMetadataTables(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to setup metadata tables: %w", err)
@@ -415,11 +420,6 @@ func QRepFlowWorkflow(
 		return err
 	}
 
-	err = q.SetupWatermarkTableOnDestination(ctx)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to setup watermark table: %w", err)
-	}
-
 	logger.Info("fetching partitions to replicate for peer flow - ", config.FlowJobName)
 	partitions, err := q.GetPartitions(ctx, state.LastPartition)
 	if err != nil {