diff --git a/commands/commands.go b/commands/commands.go
index 5253f3c7d..87c7cf126 100644
--- a/commands/commands.go
+++ b/commands/commands.go
@@ -95,29 +95,36 @@ func (args *GetDNSConfigArgs) flags() []cli.Flag {
 
 // GetDNSConfig reads the json-formatted IR file. Or executes javascript. All depending on flags provided.
 func GetDNSConfig(args GetDNSConfigArgs) (*models.DNSConfig, error) {
-	if args.JSONFile != "" {
+	var err error
+	cfg := &models.DNSConfig{}
+
+	if args.JSONFile == "" {
+		// No IR file specified. Generate the IR by running dnsconfig.json
+		// as normal.
+		cfg, err = ExecuteDSL(args.ExecuteDSLArgs)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	} else {
+		// Read an IR file.
 		f, err := os.Open(args.JSONFile)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		defer f.Close()
 		dec := json.NewDecoder(f)
-		cfg := &models.DNSConfig{}
 		if err = dec.Decode(cfg); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		return preloadProviders(cfg, nil)
 	}
-	return preloadProviders(ExecuteDSL(args.ExecuteDSLArgs))
+
+	return preloadProviders(cfg)
 }
 
 // the json only contains provider names inside domains. This denormalizes the data for more
 // convenient access patterns. Does everything we need to prepare for the validation phase, but
 // cannot do anything that requires the credentials file yet.
-func preloadProviders(cfg *models.DNSConfig, err error) (*models.DNSConfig, error) {
-	if err != nil {
-		return cfg, err
-	}
+func preloadProviders(cfg *models.DNSConfig) (*models.DNSConfig, error) {
 	//build name to type maps
 	cfg.RegistrarsByName = map[string]*models.RegistrarConfig{}
 	cfg.DNSProvidersByName = map[string]*models.DNSProviderConfig{}