diff --git a/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/move_leader_command.go b/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/move_leader_command.go
index 7c8010c962b..d648a5ad32a 100644
--- a/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/move_leader_command.go
+++ b/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/move_leader_command.go
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ func transferLeadershipCommandFunc(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		ExitWithError(ExitBadArgs, err)
 	}
 
-	c := mustClientFromCmd(cmd)
+	cfg := clientConfigFromCmd(cmd)
+	c := cfg.mustClient()
 	eps := c.Endpoints()
 	c.Close()
 
@@ -52,7 +53,6 @@ func transferLeadershipCommandFunc(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	var leaderCli *clientv3.Client
 	var leaderID uint64
 	for _, ep := range eps {
-		cfg := clientConfigFromCmd(cmd)
 		cfg.endpoints = []string{ep}
 		cli := cfg.mustClient()
 		resp, serr := cli.Status(ctx, ep)