diff --git a/packages/core/strapi/bin/strapi.js b/packages/core/strapi/bin/strapi.js
index c370e0eede..c2f33cabfc 100755
--- a/packages/core/strapi/bin/strapi.js
+++ b/packages/core/strapi/bin/strapi.js
@@ -296,6 +296,14 @@ program
   .addOption(excludeOption)
   .addOption(onlyOption)
   .hook('preAction', validateExcludeOnly)
+  .hook(
+    'preAction',
+    ifOptions(
+      (opts) => !(opts.from || opts.to) || (opts.from && opts.to),
+      () =>
+        exitWith(1, 'Exactly one remote source (from) or destination (to) option must be provided')
+    )
+  )
   // If --from is used, validate the URL and token
   .hook(
     'preAction',
@@ -346,21 +354,6 @@ program
       }
     )
   )
-  .hook(
-    'preAction',
-    ifOptions(
-      (opts) => !opts.from && !opts.to,
-      () =>
-        exitWith(1, 'At least one remote source (from) or destination (to) option must be provided')
-    )
-  )
-  .hook(
-    'preAction',
-    ifOptions(
-      (opts) => opts.from && opts.to,
-      () => exitWith(1, 'Only one source (from) or destination (to) option may be provided')
-    )
-  )
   .action(getLocalScript('transfer/transfer'));
 
 // `$ strapi export`
diff --git a/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/__tests__/data-transfer/transfer.test.js b/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/__tests__/data-transfer/transfer.test.js
index a117642f06..2ce6a78722 100644
--- a/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/__tests__/data-transfer/transfer.test.js
+++ b/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/__tests__/data-transfer/transfer.test.js
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ describe('Transfer', () => {
     strapi: {
       providers: {
         createLocalStrapiSourceProvider: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({ name: 'testLocalSource' }),
+        createLocalStrapiDestinationProvider: jest
+          .fn()
+          .mockReturnValue({ name: 'testLocalDestination' }),
         createRemoteStrapiDestinationProvider: jest
           .fn()
           .mockReturnValue({ name: 'testRemoteDest' }),
diff --git a/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/transfer/transfer.js b/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/transfer/transfer.js
index a13047af28..3e92fb2b24 100644
--- a/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/transfer/transfer.js
+++ b/packages/core/strapi/lib/commands/transfer/transfer.js
@@ -44,8 +44,13 @@ module.exports = async (opts) => {
     exitWith(1, 'Could not parse command arguments');
   }
 
-  const strapi = await createStrapiInstance();
+  if (!(opts.from || opts.to) || (opts.from && opts.to)) {
+    console.log('from', opts.from);
+    console.log('to', opts.to);
+    exitWith(1, 'Exactly one source (from) or destination (to) option must be provided');
+  }
 
+  const strapi = await createStrapiInstance();
   let source;
   let destination;