diff --git a/builtin/survey.c b/builtin/survey.c
index 463bf2bde14485..c5a16cfd7df6c0 100644
--- a/builtin/survey.c
+++ b/builtin/survey.c
@@ -2262,7 +2262,6 @@ static void survey_print_results_pretty(void)
 
 int cmd_survey(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 {
-	prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
 	survey_load_config();
 
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, survey_options, survey_usage, 0);
@@ -2271,6 +2270,8 @@ int cmd_survey(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			 want_color_fd(2, GIT_COLOR_AUTO) ? GIT_COLOR_YELLOW : "",
 			 "(THIS IS EXPERIMENTAL, EXPECT THE OUTPUT FORMAT TO CHANGE!)");
 
+	prepare_repo_settings(the_repository);
+
 	if (survey_opts.show_progress < 0)
 		survey_opts.show_progress = isatty(2);
 	fixup_refs_wanted();