diff --git a/cmd/restic/cmd_init.go b/cmd/restic/cmd_init.go
index e4333b06e..827684b3e 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/cmd_init.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/cmd_init.go
@@ -15,17 +15,17 @@ func (cmd CmdInit) Execute(args []string) error {
 		return errors.New("Please specify repository location (-r)")
 	}
 
+	be, err := create(cmd.global.Repo)
+	if err != nil {
+		cmd.global.Exitf(1, "creating backend at %s failed: %v\n", cmd.global.Repo, err)
+	}
+
 	if cmd.global.password == "" {
 		cmd.global.password = cmd.global.ReadPasswordTwice(
 			"enter password for new backend: ",
 			"enter password again: ")
 	}
 
-	be, err := create(cmd.global.Repo)
-	if err != nil {
-		cmd.global.Exitf(1, "creating backend at %s failed: %v\n", cmd.global.Repo, err)
-	}
-
 	s := repository.New(be)
 	err = s.Init(cmd.global.password)
 	if err != nil {