diff --git a/qutebrowser/utils/utilcmds.py b/qutebrowser/utils/utilcmds.py
index e3083ebf9..5ba6c4bdf 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/utils/utilcmds.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/utils/utilcmds.py
@@ -37,22 +37,26 @@ def later(ms: int, *command, win_id):
         ms: How many milliseconds to wait.
         *command: The command to run, with optional args.
     """
-    app = objreg.get('app')
-    timer = usertypes.Timer(name='later', parent=app)
-    timer.setSingleShot(True)
     if ms < 0:
         raise cmdexc.CommandError("I can't run something in the past!")
-    try:
-        timer.setInterval(ms)
-    except OverflowError:
-        raise cmdexc.CommandError("Numeric argument is too large for internal "
-                                  "int representation.")
     cmdline = ' '.join(command)
     commandrunner = runners.CommandRunner(win_id)
-    timer.timeout.connect(
-        functools.partial(commandrunner.run_safely, cmdline))
-    timer.timeout.connect(timer.deleteLater)
-    timer.start()
+    app = objreg.get('app')
+    timer = usertypes.Timer(name='later', parent=app)
+    try:
+        timer.setSingleShot(True)
+        try:
+            timer.setInterval(ms)
+        except OverflowError:
+            raise cmdexc.CommandError("Numeric argument is too large for "
+                                      "internal int representation.")
+        timer.timeout.connect(
+            functools.partial(commandrunner.run_safely, cmdline))
+        timer.timeout.connect(timer.deleteLater)
+        timer.start()
+    except:  # pylint: disable=bare-except
+        timer.deleteLater()
+        raise
 
 
 @cmdutils.register(scope='window')