diff --git a/shared/cmd/helpers.go b/shared/cmd/helpers.go
index bb658bc72b..477e55bcd0 100644
--- a/shared/cmd/helpers.go
+++ b/shared/cmd/helpers.go
@@ -75,11 +75,17 @@ func EnterPassword(confirmPassword bool, pr PasswordReader) (string, error) {
 
 // ExpandWeb3EndpointIfFile expands the path for --http-web3provider if specified as a file.
 func ExpandWeb3EndpointIfFile(ctx *cli.Context, flag *cli.StringFlag) error {
+	// Return early if no flag value is set.
+	if !ctx.IsSet(flag.Name) {
+		return nil
+	}
 	web3endpoint := ctx.String(flag.Name)
-	if !strings.HasPrefix(web3endpoint, "http://") &&
-		!strings.HasPrefix(web3endpoint, "https://") &&
-		!strings.HasPrefix(web3endpoint, "ws://") &&
-		!strings.HasPrefix(web3endpoint, "wss://") {
+	switch {
+	case strings.HasPrefix(web3endpoint, "http://"):
+	case strings.HasPrefix(web3endpoint, "https://"):
+	case strings.HasPrefix(web3endpoint, "ws://"):
+	case strings.HasPrefix(web3endpoint, "wss://"):
+	default:
 		web3endpoint, err := fileutil.ExpandPath(ctx.String(flag.Name))
 		if err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrapf(err, "could not expand path for %s", web3endpoint)
diff --git a/shared/cmd/helpers_test.go b/shared/cmd/helpers_test.go
index ac7fe10f8a..65c6334e51 100644
--- a/shared/cmd/helpers_test.go
+++ b/shared/cmd/helpers_test.go
@@ -84,9 +84,13 @@ func TestExpandWeb3EndpointIfFile(t *testing.T) {
 	app := cli.App{}
 	set := flag.NewFlagSet("test", 0)
 	HTTPWeb3ProviderFlag := &cli.StringFlag{Name: "http-web3provider", Value: ""}
-	set.String(HTTPWeb3ProviderFlag.Name, "http://localhost:8545", "")
+	set.String(HTTPWeb3ProviderFlag.Name, "", "")
 	context := cli.NewContext(&app, set, nil)
 
+	// with nothing set
+	require.NoError(t, ExpandWeb3EndpointIfFile(context, HTTPWeb3ProviderFlag))
+	require.Equal(t, "", context.String(HTTPWeb3ProviderFlag.Name))
+
 	// with url scheme
 	require.NoError(t, context.Set(HTTPWeb3ProviderFlag.Name, "http://localhost:8545"))
 	require.NoError(t, ExpandWeb3EndpointIfFile(context, HTTPWeb3ProviderFlag))