diff --git a/rest_framework/fields.py b/rest_framework/fields.py
index f46edef1e..b63354ba4 100644
--- a/rest_framework/fields.py
+++ b/rest_framework/fields.py
@@ -1446,11 +1446,11 @@ class FileField(Field):
         return data
 
     def to_representation(self, value):
-        use_url = getattr(self, 'use_url', api_settings.UPLOADED_FILES_USE_URL)
-
         if not value:
             return None
 
+	use_url = getattr(self, 'use_url', api_settings.UPLOADED_FILES_USE_URL)
+
         if use_url:
             if not getattr(value, 'url', None):
                 # If the file has not been saved it may not have a URL.