diff --git a/plugins/ps/subcommands/default b/plugins/ps/subcommands/default
index 46dec800a..bcb52434d 100755
--- a/plugins/ps/subcommands/default
+++ b/plugins/ps/subcommands/default
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ ps_main_cmd() {
   [[ -z $2 ]] && dokku_log_fail "Please specify an app to run the command on"
 
   local APP="$2"; verify_app_name "$APP"
-  local DOKKU_APP_RUNNING_CONTAINER_IDS=$(get_app_running_container_ids "$APP")
-
   ! (is_deployed "$APP") && echo "App $APP has not been deployed" && exit 0
 
+  local DOKKU_APP_RUNNING_CONTAINER_IDS=$(get_app_running_container_ids "$APP")
+
   local CID
   for CID in $DOKKU_APP_RUNNING_CONTAINER_IDS; do
     has_tty && local DOKKU_RUN_OPTS="-i -t"