diff --git a/src/svs/inacademia_backend.py b/src/svs/inacademia_backend.py
index c85922a..ce7b8ad 100644
--- a/src/svs/inacademia_backend.py
+++ b/src/svs/inacademia_backend.py
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@ def _get_user_id(self, auth_response):
         return None
 
     def _translate_response(self, auth_response, state):
+        # translate() will handle potentially encrypted SAML Assertions
+        # auth_response object will also be modified
+        internal_resp = super()._translate_response(auth_response, state)
+
         if 'eduPersonAffiliation' not in auth_response.ava:
             raise SATOSAAuthenticationError(state, 'Missing eduPersonAffiliation in response from IdP.')
 
-        internal_resp = super()._translate_response(auth_response, state)
-
         internal_resp.user_id = self._get_user_id(auth_response)
         if not internal_resp.user_id:
             raise SATOSAAuthenticationError(state, 'Failed to construct persistent user id from IdP response.')