diff --git a/cmd/burrow/commands/configure.go b/cmd/burrow/commands/configure.go
index f68ed820362370baa705a99aacc8b002f961c001..29774735b7d794917b602af98893595f6ea5d81d 100644
--- a/cmd/burrow/commands/configure.go
+++ b/cmd/burrow/commands/configure.go
@@ -205,6 +205,13 @@ func Configure(output Output) func(cmd *cli.Cmd) {
 				conf.GenesisDoc = genesisDoc
 			}
 
+			if *chainNameOpt != "" {
+				if conf.GenesisDoc == nil {
+					output.Fatalf("Unable to set ChainName since no GenesisDoc/GenesisSpec provided.")
+				}
+				conf.GenesisDoc.ChainName = *chainNameOpt
+			}
+
 			if conf.GenesisDoc != nil {
 				pkg.Config = conf.GenesisDoc
 
@@ -248,13 +255,6 @@ func Configure(output Output) func(cmd *cli.Cmd) {
 				}
 			}
 
-			if *chainNameOpt != "" {
-				if conf.GenesisDoc == nil {
-					output.Fatalf("Unable to set ChainName since no GenesisDoc/GenesisSpec provided.")
-				}
-				conf.GenesisDoc.ChainName = *chainNameOpt
-			}
-
 			if *separateGenesisDoc != "" {
 				if conf.GenesisDoc == nil {
 					output.Fatalf("Cannot write separate genesis doc since no GenesisDoc/GenesisSpec provided.")