diff --git a/lib/liquid/context.rb b/lib/liquid/context.rb
index d37cf91..1075c4e 100644
--- a/lib/liquid/context.rb
+++ b/lib/liquid/context.rb
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ module Liquid
 
     # Push new local scope on the stack. use <tt>Context#stack</tt> instead
     def push(new_scope={})
-      raise StackLevelError, "Nesting too deep" if @scopes.length > 100
       @scopes.unshift(new_scope)
+      raise StackLevelError, "Nesting too deep" if @scopes.length > 100
     end
 
     # Merge a hash of variables in the current local scope
diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb
index 32f96f5..bdc5f5d 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -2,13 +2,13 @@
 extras_path = File.join File.dirname(__FILE__), 'extra'
 $LOAD_PATH.unshift(extras_path) unless $LOAD_PATH.include? extras_path
 
-require 'rubygems' unless RUBY_VERSION =~ /^(?:1.9.*)$/
+require 'rubygems' unless RUBY_VERSION >= '1.9'
 require 'test/unit'
 require 'test/unit/assertions'
 require 'caller'
 require 'breakpoint'
 require 'ruby-debug'
-require File.join File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', 'lib', 'liquid'
+require File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', 'lib', 'liquid')
 
 
 module Test