diff --git a/src/tool_getparam.c b/src/tool_getparam.c
index 813cc70c0..b5068ac5f 100644
--- a/src/tool_getparam.c
+++ b/src/tool_getparam.c
@@ -1633,22 +1633,14 @@ ParameterError getparameter(char *flag,    /* f or -long-flag */
     }
     break;
     case 'u':
-      /* user:password  */
+      /* user:password;options  */
       GetStr(&config->userpwd, nextarg);
       cleanarg(nextarg);
-      if(!config->xoauth2_bearer) {
-        err = checkpasswd("host", &config->userpwd);
-        if(err)
-          return err;
-      }
       break;
     case 'U':
       /* Proxy user:password  */
       GetStr(&config->proxyuserpwd, nextarg);
       cleanarg(nextarg);
-      err = checkpasswd("proxy", &config->proxyuserpwd);
-      if(err)
-        return err;
       break;
     case 'v':
       if(toggle) {
diff --git a/src/tool_operate.c b/src/tool_operate.c
index a37e0c84d..146795e69 100644
--- a/src/tool_operate.c
+++ b/src/tool_operate.c
@@ -325,6 +325,18 @@ int operate(struct Configurable *config, int argc, argv_item_t argv[])
     }
   }
 
+  if(config->userpwd && !config->xoauth2_bearer) {
+    res = checkpasswd("host", &config->userpwd);
+    if(res)
+      goto quit_curl;
+  }
+
+  if(config->proxyuserpwd) {
+    res = checkpasswd("proxy", &config->proxyuserpwd);
+    if(res)
+      goto quit_curl;
+  }
+
   if((!config->url_list || !config->url_list->url) && !config->list_engines) {
     helpf(config->errors, "no URL specified!\n");
     res = CURLE_FAILED_INIT;