diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/execution.py b/IPython/core/magics/execution.py
index 3cdacc2..a0af1e4 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/execution.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/execution.py
@@ -1076,22 +1076,6 @@ def parse_breakpoint(text, current_file):
 def _format_time(timespan, precision=3):
     """Formats the timespan in a human readable form"""
     import math
-    # XXX: Unfortunately the unicode 'micro' symbol can cause problems in
-    # certain terminals.  
-    # See bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ipython/+bug/348466
-    
-    # This is trying to prevent crashes, so it's more secure than it needs to
-    # E.g. eclipse is able to print a µ, but has no sys.stdout.encoding set.
-    
-    
-    units = [u"s", u"ms",u'us',"ns"] # the save value   
-    if hasattr(sys.stdout, 'encoding') and sys.stdout.encoding:
-        try:
-            u'\xb5'.encode(sys.stdout.encoding)
-            units = [u"s", u"ms",u'\xb5s',"ns"]
-        except:
-            pass
-    scaling = [1, 1e3, 1e6, 1e9]
     
     if timespan >= 60.0:
         # we have more than a minute, format that in a human readable form
@@ -1107,7 +1091,22 @@ def _format_time(timespan, precision=3):
             if leftover < 1:
                 break
         return " ".join(time)
+
     
+    # Unfortunately the unicode 'micro' symbol can cause problems in
+    # certain terminals.  
+    # See bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ipython/+bug/348466
+    # Try to prevent crashes by being more secure than it needs to
+    # E.g. eclipse is able to print a µ, but has no sys.stdout.encoding set.
+    units = [u"s", u"ms",u'us',"ns"] # the save value   
+    if hasattr(sys.stdout, 'encoding') and sys.stdout.encoding:
+        try:
+            u'\xb5'.encode(sys.stdout.encoding)
+            units = [u"s", u"ms",u'\xb5s',"ns"]
+        except:
+            pass
+    scaling = [1, 1e3, 1e6, 1e9]
+        
     if timespan > 0.0:
         order = min(-int(math.floor(math.log10(timespan)) // 3), 3)
     else: