diff --git a/src/service.c b/src/service.c
index 19fb8a9a..270bf829 100644
--- a/src/service.c
+++ b/src/service.c
@@ -1570,15 +1570,15 @@ int service_register(int type, char *cfg, struct rlimit rlimit[], char *file)
 	} else
 		svc = svc_find(name, id);
 
+	if (!whichp(cmd)) {
+		if (nowarn)
+			return 0;
+
+		warn("%s: skipping %s", file ? file : "static", cmd);
+		return errno;
+	}
+
 	if (!svc) {
-		if (!whichp(cmd)) {
-			if (nowarn)
-				return 0;
-
-			warn("%s: skipping %s", file ? file : "static", cmd);
-			return errno;
-		}
-
 		dbg("Creating new svc for %s name %s id %s type %d", cmd, name, id, type);
 		svc = svc_new(cmd, name, id, type);
 		if (!svc) {