diff --git a/clients/cli/connections.c b/clients/cli/connections.c
index 3441c85ef3..cddaf52731 100644
--- a/clients/cli/connections.c
+++ b/clients/cli/connections.c
@@ -6177,14 +6177,6 @@ cleanup_tun:
 			goto cleanup_tunnel;
 		}
 
-		if (!remote_c && ask)
-			remote_c = remote_ask = nmc_readline (_("Remote endpoint: "));
-		if (!remote_c) {
-			g_set_error_literal (error, NMCLI_ERROR, NMC_RESULT_ERROR_USER_INPUT,
-			                     _("Error: 'remote' is required."));
-			goto cleanup_tunnel;
-		}
-
 		if (!nm_utils_enum_from_str (nm_ip_tunnel_mode_get_type (),
 		                             mode_c, (int *) &mode_enum, NULL)) {
 			gs_free const char **values = NULL;
@@ -6200,6 +6192,14 @@ cleanup_tun:
 			goto cleanup_tunnel;
 		}
 
+		if (!remote_c && ask)
+			remote_c = remote_ask = nmc_readline (_("Remote endpoint: "));
+		if (!remote_c) {
+			g_set_error_literal (error, NMCLI_ERROR, NMC_RESULT_ERROR_USER_INPUT,
+			                     _("Error: 'remote' is required."));
+			goto cleanup_tunnel;
+		}
+
 		if (   !nm_utils_ipaddr_valid (AF_INET, remote_c)
 		    && !nm_utils_ipaddr_valid (AF_INET6, remote_c)) {
 			g_set_error (error, NMCLI_ERROR, NMC_RESULT_ERROR_USER_INPUT,