diff --git a/cmd/burrow/main.go b/cmd/burrow/main.go
index 5074510fd81418f55fc01b7ce01e5ce6b0359a4e..9f5925ff17a7eac0a510ba5fc4375c5923f01811 100644
--- a/cmd/burrow/main.go
+++ b/cmd/burrow/main.go
@@ -229,7 +229,12 @@ func main() {
 					}
 				}
 
-				conf.GenesisDoc.ChainName = *chainNameOpt
+				if *chainNameOpt != ""{
+					if conf.GenesisDoc == nil {
+						fatalf("Unable to set ChainName since no GenesisDoc/GenesisSpec provided.")
+					}
+					conf.GenesisDoc.ChainName = *chainNameOpt
+				}
 
 				if *jsonOutOpt {
 					os.Stdout.WriteString(conf.JSONString())