diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9bd5b6ace..d26d758d3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 
 ### Fixed
 
-- core: always check that "weechat" binary exists and is executable with command `/upgrade`, even when the path to binary is not given
 - relay: fix crash after `/upgrade` when relay clients are connected
 - api: fix creation of empty buffer in function infolist_new_var_buffer
 - core: fix detection of dl library ([#2218](https://github.com/weechat/weechat/issues/2218))
diff --git a/src/core/core-command.c b/src/core/core-command.c
index 026face96..62cd312e8 100644
--- a/src/core/core-command.c
+++ b/src/core/core-command.c
@@ -7516,9 +7516,36 @@ COMMAND_CALLBACK(upgrade)
         if (string_strcmp (argv[index_args], "-quit") == 0)
             quit = 1;
         else
+        {
             ptr_binary = string_expand_home (argv_eol[index_args]);
+            if (ptr_binary)
+            {
+                /* check if weechat binary is here and executable by user */
+                rc = stat (ptr_binary, &stat_buf);
+                if ((rc != 0) || (!S_ISREG(stat_buf.st_mode)))
+                {
+                    gui_chat_printf (NULL,
+                                     _("%sCan't upgrade: WeeChat binary \"%s\" "
+                                       "does not exist"),
+                                     gui_chat_prefix[GUI_CHAT_PREFIX_ERROR],
+                                     ptr_binary);
+                    free (ptr_binary);
+                    return WEECHAT_RC_ERROR;
+                }
+                if ((!(stat_buf.st_mode & S_IXUSR)) && (!(stat_buf.st_mode & S_IXGRP))
+                    && (!(stat_buf.st_mode & S_IXOTH)))
+                {
+                    gui_chat_printf (NULL,
+                                     _("%sCan't upgrade: WeeChat binary \"%s\" "
+                                       "does not have execute permissions"),
+                                     gui_chat_prefix[GUI_CHAT_PREFIX_ERROR],
+                                     ptr_binary);
+                    free (ptr_binary);
+                    return WEECHAT_RC_ERROR;
+                }
+            }
+        }
     }
-
     if (!ptr_binary && !quit)
     {
         ptr_binary = (weechat_argv0) ? strdup (weechat_argv0) : NULL;
@@ -7542,29 +7569,6 @@ COMMAND_CALLBACK(upgrade)
 
     if (ptr_binary)
     {
-        /* check if weechat binary is here and executable by user */
-        rc = stat (ptr_binary, &stat_buf);
-        if ((rc != 0) || (!S_ISREG(stat_buf.st_mode)))
-        {
-            gui_chat_printf (NULL,
-                             _("%sCan't upgrade: WeeChat binary \"%s\" "
-                               "does not exist"),
-                             gui_chat_prefix[GUI_CHAT_PREFIX_ERROR],
-                             ptr_binary);
-            free (ptr_binary);
-            return WEECHAT_RC_ERROR;
-        }
-        if ((!(stat_buf.st_mode & S_IXUSR)) && (!(stat_buf.st_mode & S_IXGRP))
-            && (!(stat_buf.st_mode & S_IXOTH)))
-        {
-            gui_chat_printf (NULL,
-                             _("%sCan't upgrade: WeeChat binary \"%s\" "
-                               "does not have execute permissions"),
-                             gui_chat_prefix[GUI_CHAT_PREFIX_ERROR],
-                             ptr_binary);
-            free (ptr_binary);
-            return WEECHAT_RC_ERROR;
-        }
         gui_chat_printf (NULL,
                          _("Upgrading WeeChat with binary file: \"%s\"..."),
                          ptr_binary);