diff --git a/bundles/org.palladiosimulator.retriever.core/src/org/palladiosimulator/retriever/core/cli/RetrieverApplication.java b/bundles/org.palladiosimulator.retriever.core/src/org/palladiosimulator/retriever/core/cli/RetrieverApplication.java
index cecbb4c7..aac86d17 100644
--- a/bundles/org.palladiosimulator.retriever.core/src/org/palladiosimulator/retriever/core/cli/RetrieverApplication.java
+++ b/bundles/org.palladiosimulator.retriever.core/src/org/palladiosimulator/retriever/core/cli/RetrieverApplication.java
@@ -101,14 +101,16 @@ public Object start(final IApplicationContext context) throws Exception {
             return -1;
         }
 
-        try {
-            configuration.setRulesFolder(URI.createFileURI(URI.decode(Paths.get(cmd.getOptionValue("x"))
-                .toAbsolutePath()
-                .normalize()
-                .toString())));
-        } catch (final InvalidPathException e) {
-            System.err.println("Invalid rules path: " + e.getMessage());
-            return -1;
+        if(cmd.hasOption("rules-directory") || cmd.hasShortOption("x")) {
+            try {
+                configuration.setRulesFolder(URI.createFileURI(URI.decode(Paths.get(cmd.getOptionValue("x"))
+                    .toAbsolutePath()
+                    .normalize()
+                    .toString())));
+            } catch (final InvalidPathException e) {
+                System.err.println("Invalid rules path: " + e.getMessage());
+                return -1;
+            }
         }
 
         // Enable all discoverers, in case a selected rule depends on them.