diff --git a/plugins/ipam/host-local/backend/allocator/config.go b/plugins/ipam/host-local/backend/allocator/config.go
index d261d0f0..8c004489 100644
--- a/plugins/ipam/host-local/backend/allocator/config.go
+++ b/plugins/ipam/host-local/backend/allocator/config.go
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ func LoadIPAMConfig(bytes []byte, args string) (*IPAMConfig, string, error) {
 		return nil, "", err
 	}
 
+	if n.IPAM == nil {
+		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("IPAM config missing 'ipam' key")
+	}
+
 	if args != "" {
 		n.IPAM.Args = &IPAMArgs{}
 		err := types.LoadArgs(args, n.IPAM.Args)
@@ -62,10 +66,6 @@ func LoadIPAMConfig(bytes []byte, args string) (*IPAMConfig, string, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if n.IPAM == nil {
-		return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("IPAM config missing 'ipam' key")
-	}
-
 	// Copy net name into IPAM so not to drag Net struct around
 	n.IPAM.Name = n.Name