diff --git a/cfg.c b/cfg.c
index 0eadb6c3..1b85ac95 100644
--- a/cfg.c
+++ b/cfg.c
@@ -302,9 +302,10 @@ load_cfg(const char *path, struct client *c, struct cmdq_item *item, int quiet)
 		free(buf);
 
 		new_item = cmdq_get_command(cmdlist, NULL, NULL, 0);
-		if (item != NULL)
+		if (item != NULL) {
 			cmdq_insert_after(item, new_item);
-		else
+			item = new_item;
+		} else
 			cmdq_append(c, new_item);
 		cmd_list_free(cmdlist);