diff --git a/apps/cnquery/cmd/status.go b/apps/cnquery/cmd/status.go
index 3c20d6bbc..863825435 100644
--- a/apps/cnquery/cmd/status.go
+++ b/apps/cnquery/cmd/status.go
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ func (s Status) RenderCliStatus() {
 
 	if s.Client.Registered && s.Client.PingPongError == nil {
 		log.Info().Msg(theme.DefaultTheme.Success("client authenticated successfully"))
-	} else if s.Client.PingPongError == nil {
+	} else if s.Client.PingPongError != nil {
 		log.Error().Err(s.Client.PingPongError).
 			Msgf("The Mondoo Platform credentials provided at %s didn't successfully authenticate with Mondoo Platform. Please re-authenticate with Mondoo Platform. To learn how, read https://mondoo.com/docs/cnspec/cnspec-adv-install/registration/.",
 				viper.ConfigFileUsed())