diff --git a/lib/grep.zsh b/lib/grep.zsh
index c7e8bbffc..af78c3d7d 100644
--- a/lib/grep.zsh
+++ b/lib/grep.zsh
@@ -2,15 +2,14 @@
 VCS_FOLDERS="{.bzr,.cvs,.git,.hg,.svn}"
 
 _setup_grep_alias() {
-    # Is grep argument $1 available?
-    grep-flag-available() {
-        echo | grep $1 "" >/dev/null 2>&1
-    }
-
     local GREP_OPTIONS
     # Color grep results.
     GREP_OPTIONS=(--color=auto)
 
+    # Is grep argument $1 available?
+    grep-flag-available() {
+        echo | grep $1 "" >/dev/null 2>&1
+    }
     if grep-flag-available --exclude-dir=.cvs; then
         GREP_OPTIONS+=(--exclude-dir=$VCS_FOLDERS)
     elif grep-flag-available --exclude=.cvs; then