diff --git a/prody/proteins/pdbfile.py b/prody/proteins/pdbfile.py
index e716d58a1..7c352d943 100644
--- a/prody/proteins/pdbfile.py
+++ b/prody/proteins/pdbfile.py
@@ -1453,6 +1453,8 @@ def writePDBStream(stream, atoms, csets=None, **kwargs):
                     anisouline = ANISOULINE_GE100K_GE10K
                     LOGGER.warn('Indices are exceeding 99999 and hexadecimal format is being used for indices and resnums')
 
+            serial += num_ter_lines
+
             if hybrid36:
                 serial = decToHybrid36(serials[i])
                 resnum = decToHybrid36(resnums[i], resnum=True)
@@ -1460,8 +1462,6 @@ def writePDBStream(stream, atoms, csets=None, **kwargs):
                 serial = serials[i]
                 resnum = resnums[i]
 
-            serial += num_ter_lines
-
             if pdbline == PDBLINE_LT100K or hybrid36:
                 if len(str(resnum)) == 5:
                     if icodes[i] == '':