diff --git a/pkg/cmd/account.go b/pkg/cmd/account.go
index 31d39fdea..94861e5cf 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/account.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/account.go
@@ -33,6 +33,15 @@ var accountCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			return errors.New("--config option is required")
 		}
 
+		sessionName, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("session")
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if len(sessionName) == 0 {
+			return errors.New("--session option is required")
+		}
+
 		var userConfig *bbgo.Config
 		if _, err := os.Stat(configFile); err == nil {
 			// load successfully
@@ -57,11 +66,6 @@ var accountCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			return err
 		}
 
-		sessionName, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("session")
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
 		session, ok := environ.Session(sessionName)
 		if !ok {
 			return fmt.Errorf("session %s not found", sessionName)
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/balances.go b/pkg/cmd/balances.go
index 3694b1da8..b84d83eca 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/balances.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/balances.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ var balancesCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		ctx := context.Background()
 
+
 		configFile, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("config")
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -33,6 +34,15 @@ var balancesCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			return errors.New("--config option is required")
 		}
 
+		sessionName, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("session")
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if len(sessionName) == 0 {
+			return errors.New("--session option is required")
+		}
+
 		// if config file exists, use the config loaded from the config file.
 		// otherwise, use a empty config object
 		var userConfig *bbgo.Config
@@ -56,10 +66,6 @@ var balancesCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			return err
 		}
 
-		sessionName, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("session")
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
 
 		session, ok := environ.Session(sessionName)
 		if !ok {