diff --git a/app/src/main/java/io/seqera/wave/cli/App.java b/app/src/main/java/io/seqera/wave/cli/App.java
index 0ff7192..2f193c5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/io/seqera/wave/cli/App.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/io/seqera/wave/cli/App.java
@@ -241,6 +241,8 @@ else if( result.isVersionHelpRequested() ) {
 
             app.setLogLevel();
             app.defaultArgs();
+            // validate the command line args
+            app.validateArgs();
             if( app.info ) {
                 app.printInfo();
             }
@@ -348,6 +350,9 @@ protected void validateArgs() {
         if( singularity && !freeze )
             throw new IllegalCliArgumentException("Singularity build requires enabling freeze mode");
 
+        if( inspect && isEmpty(image) )
+            throw new IllegalCliArgumentException("Option --inspect requires the use of container image (--image)");
+
         if( !isEmpty(contextDir) ) {
             // check that a container file has been provided
             if( isEmpty(containerFile) )
@@ -432,8 +437,6 @@ public void inspect() {
 
     @Override
     public void run() {
-        // validate the command line args
-        validateArgs();
         // prepare the request
         buildContext = prepareContext();
         containerConfig = prepareConfig();
diff --git a/app/src/test/groovy/io/seqera/wave/cli/AppTest.groovy b/app/src/test/groovy/io/seqera/wave/cli/AppTest.groovy
index 83e31d8..8786e59 100644
--- a/app/src/test/groovy/io/seqera/wave/cli/AppTest.groovy
+++ b/app/src/test/groovy/io/seqera/wave/cli/AppTest.groovy
@@ -585,4 +585,20 @@ class AppTest extends Specification {
         '2.0.0'     | '2.1.0'       | '2.0.0 (required: 2.1.0)'
     }
 
+    def 'should fail when inspecting without container image' () {
+        given:
+        def app = new App()
+        String[] args = ["--conda-package", "bwa", "--freeze", "--singularity", "--inspect"]
+
+        when:
+        def cli = new CommandLine(app)
+        cli.parseArgs(args)
+        and:
+        app.validateArgs()
+        then:
+        def e = thrown(IllegalCliArgumentException)
+        and:
+        e.getMessage() == "Option --inspect requires the use of container image (--image)"
+    }
+
 }