diff --git a/serial/serialcli.py b/serial/serialcli.py
index 4e8b767..3070948 100644
--- a/serial/serialcli.py
+++ b/serial/serialcli.py
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@
             self._port_handle = None
             raise SerialException("could not open port %s: %s" % (self.portstr, msg))
 
+        # if RTS and/or DTR are not set before open, they default to True
+        if self._rts_state is None:
+            self._rts_state = True
+        if self._dtr_state is None:
+            self._dtr_state = True
+
         self._reconfigurePort()
         self._port_handle.Open()
         self.is_open = True
@@ -59,12 +65,6 @@
         if not self._port_handle:
             raise SerialException("Can only operate on a valid port handle")
 
-        # if RTS and/or DTR are not set before open, they default to True
-        if self._rts_state is None:
-            self._rts_state = True
-        if self._dtr_state is None:
-            self._dtr_state = True
-
         #~ self._port_handle.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1
 
         if self._timeout is None: