diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/daemon.go b/cmd/ipfs/daemon.go
index 9d1fc14049b4..46f7a53d5916 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/daemon.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/daemon.go
@@ -246,16 +246,18 @@ func daemonFunc(req *cmds.Request, re cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.Environment
 				return err
 			}
 
-			return doInit(os.Stdout, cctx.ConfigRoot, false, nBitsForKeypairDefault, nil, conf)
-		}
-
-		cfgLocation = cctx.ConfigRoot
-
-		if !fsrepo.IsInitialized(cfgLocation) {
-			err := initWithDefaults(os.Stdout, cfgLocation, profiles)
-			if err != nil {
+			if err = doInit(os.Stdout, cctx.ConfigRoot, false, nBitsForKeypairDefault, nil, conf); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+		} else {
+			cfgLocation = cctx.ConfigRoot
+
+			if !fsrepo.IsInitialized(cfgLocation) {
+				err := initWithDefaults(os.Stdout, cfgLocation, profiles)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
 		}
 	}