diff --git a/src/suricata.c b/src/suricata.c
index a69a8a44d3..e22e0a9cef 100644
--- a/src/suricata.c
+++ b/src/suricata.c
@@ -945,7 +945,7 @@ static TmEcode LoadYamlConfig(SCInstance *suri)
     SCReturnInt(TM_ECODE_OK);
 }
 
-static TmEcode ParseInterfacesList(int runmode, char *pcap_dev)
+static TmEcode ParseInterfacesList(const int runmode, char *pcap_dev)
 {
     SCEnter();
 
@@ -2128,6 +2128,9 @@ static TmEcode ParseCommandLine(int argc, char** argv, SCInstance *suri)
         return TM_ECODE_FAILED;
     }
 
+    /* save the runmode from the commandline (if any) */
+    suri->aux_run_mode = suri->run_mode;
+
     if (list_app_layer_protocols)
         suri->run_mode = RUNMODE_LIST_APP_LAYERS;
     if (list_keywords)
@@ -2976,7 +2979,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     LogVersion();
     UtilCpuPrintSummary();
 
-    if (ParseInterfacesList(suricata.run_mode, suricata.pcap_dev) != TM_ECODE_OK) {
+    if (ParseInterfacesList(suricata.aux_run_mode, suricata.pcap_dev) != TM_ECODE_OK) {
         exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/suricata.h b/src/suricata.h
index 99e48aacad..33ce1678a5 100644
--- a/src/suricata.h
+++ b/src/suricata.h
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ PacketQueue trans_q[256];
 
 typedef struct SCInstance_ {
     enum RunModes run_mode;
+    enum RunModes aux_run_mode;
 
     char pcap_dev[128];
     char *sig_file;