diff --git a/pkg/analyzer/lib/src/dart/analysis/file_state.dart b/pkg/analyzer/lib/src/dart/analysis/file_state.dart
index 32bb30c..7a5926e 100644
--- a/pkg/analyzer/lib/src/dart/analysis/file_state.dart
+++ b/pkg/analyzer/lib/src/dart/analysis/file_state.dart
@@ -1089,12 +1089,13 @@
       try {
         if (_contentOverlay != null) {
           content = _contentOverlay[path];
-          if (content != null) {
-            contentBytes = utf8.encode(content);
-          }
         }
-        contentBytes ??= _resourceProvider.getFile(path).readAsBytesSync();
-        content = utf8.decode(contentBytes);
+        if (content != null) {
+          contentBytes = utf8.encode(content);
+        } else {
+          contentBytes = _resourceProvider.getFile(path).readAsBytesSync();
+          content = utf8.decode(contentBytes);
+        }
         exists = true;
       } catch (_) {
         contentBytes = Uint8List(0);
diff --git a/tools/VERSION b/tools/VERSION
index 72d2b2c..675bb5d 100644
--- a/tools/VERSION
+++ b/tools/VERSION
@@ -27,5 +27,5 @@
 MAJOR 2
 MINOR 12
 PATCH 0
-PRERELEASE 95
+PRERELEASE 96
 PRERELEASE_PATCH 0
\ No newline at end of file