diff --git a/tools/virsh.c b/tools/virsh.c
index 0d8ec5c80c..e14410bd5c 100644
--- a/tools/virsh.c
+++ b/tools/virsh.c
@@ -962,14 +962,14 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (!vshInit(ctl, cmdGroups, NULL))
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 
+    ctl->connname = vshStrdup(ctl, virGetEnvBlockSUID("VIRSH_DEFAULT_CONNECT_URI"));
+
     if (!virshParseArgv(ctl, argc, argv) ||
         !virshInit(ctl)) {
         virshDeinit(ctl);
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
-    ctl->connname = vshStrdup(ctl, virGetEnvBlockSUID("VIRSH_DEFAULT_CONNECT_URI"));
-
     if (!ctl->imode) {
         ret = vshCommandRun(ctl, ctl->cmd);
     } else {