diff --git a/sway/commands/bar.c b/sway/commands/bar.c
index 73be70406..a72c540bd 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar.c
@@ -125,10 +125,10 @@ struct cmd_results *cmd_bar(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	struct cmd_results *res =
 		config_subcommand(argv, argc, bar_handlers, sizeof(bar_handlers));
+	if (res && config->active && !config->validating) {
+		load_swaybar(config->current_bar);
+	}
 	if (!config->reading) {
-		if (spawn) {
-			load_swaybar(config->current_bar);
-		}
 		config->current_bar = NULL;
 	}
 	return res;
diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/status_command.c b/sway/commands/bar/status_command.c
index 0b58e5fa2..c0ea6d743 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/status_command.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/status_command.c
@@ -23,9 +23,5 @@ struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_status_command(int argc, char **argv) {
 		free(new_command);
 	}
 
-	if (config->active && !config->validating) {
-		load_swaybar(config->current_bar);
-	}
-
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL);
 }