diff --git a/portspoof_py/__init__.py b/portspoof_py/__init__.py
index b2ae092..4a89ef4 100644
--- a/portspoof_py/__init__.py
+++ b/portspoof_py/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 """portspoof_py — asyncio Python rewrite of the portspoof TCP honeypot."""
-__version__ = '2603.2'
+__version__ = '2603.3'
diff --git a/portspoof_py/server.py b/portspoof_py/server.py
index dac8b3f..b898f15 100644
--- a/portspoof_py/server.py
+++ b/portspoof_py/server.py
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@ async def _handle(
         )
 
     try:
+        await asyncio.sleep(random.uniform(_DELAY_MIN, _DELAY_MAX))
         if banner:
             writer.write(banner)
             await writer.drain()
-        await asyncio.sleep(random.uniform(_DELAY_MIN, _DELAY_MAX))
     except (ConnectionResetError, BrokenPipeError):
         pass
     finally:
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 693c444..72d0b97 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "flit_core.buildapi"
 
 [project]
 name = "portspoof-py"
-version = "2603.2"
+version = "2603.3"
 description = "Python asyncio rewrite of the portspoof TCP honeypot"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.11"