diff --git a/apps/cmp.c b/apps/cmp.c
index e5f72cbea7..1af53510b3 100644
--- a/apps/cmp.c
+++ b/apps/cmp.c
@@ -2095,7 +2095,6 @@ static int setup_client_ctx(OSSL_CMP_CTX *ctx, ENGINE *engine)
 
     if (opt_proxy != NULL)
         (void)BIO_snprintf(proxy_buf, sizeof(proxy_buf), " via %s", opt_proxy);
-    CMP_info2("will contact %s%s", server_buf, proxy_buf);
 
     if (!transform_opts())
         goto err;
@@ -2217,6 +2216,9 @@ static int setup_client_ctx(OSSL_CMP_CTX *ctx, ENGINE *engine)
     if (opt_geninfo != NULL && !handle_opt_geninfo(ctx))
         goto err;
 
+    /* not printing earlier, to minimize confusion in case setup fails before */
+    CMP_info2("will contact %s%s", server_buf, proxy_buf);
+
     ret = 1;
 
  err: