Index: /trunk/ippTools/src/dettool.c
===================================================================
--- /trunk/ippTools/src/dettool.c	(revision 12684)
+++ /trunk/ippTools/src/dettool.c	(revision 12685)
@@ -690,4 +690,13 @@
         return false;
     }
+    psString camera = psMetadataLookupStr(&status, config->args, "-inst");
+    if (!status) {
+        psError(PS_ERR_UNKNOWN, false, "failed to lookup value for -inst");
+        return false;
+    }
+    if (!camera) {
+        psError(PS_ERR_UNKNOWN, false, "-inst is required");
+        return false;
+    }
 
     psMetadata *where = psMetadataAlloc();
@@ -939,10 +948,4 @@
     if (mode && !isValidMode(config, mode)) {
         psError(PS_ERR_UNKNOWN, false, "invalud mode");
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    psString camera = psMetadataLookupStr(&status, config->args, "-inst");
-    if (!status) {
-        psError(PS_ERR_UNKNOWN, false, "failed to lookup value for -inst");
         return false;
     }