diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index e8911330ae24..894ecf7d2eeb 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -940,8 +940,11 @@ func setBootstrapNodes(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *p2p.Config) {
 		urls = params.GoerliBootnodes
 	case ctx.GlobalBool(KilnFlag.Name):
 		urls = params.KilnBootnodes
-	case cfg.BootstrapNodes != nil:
-		return // already set, don't apply defaults.
+	}
+
+	// don't apply defaults if BootstrapNodes is already set
+	if cfg.BootstrapNodes != nil {
+		return
 	}
 
 	cfg.BootstrapNodes = make([]*enode.Node, 0, len(urls))