diff --git a/ipn/prefs.go b/ipn/prefs.go
index 14b8078c0..88c73ead3 100644
--- a/ipn/prefs.go
+++ b/ipn/prefs.go
@@ -847,6 +847,9 @@ func exitNodeIPOfArg(s string, st *ipnstate.Status) (ip netip.Addr, err error) {
 	}
 	ip, err = netip.ParseAddr(s)
 	if err == nil {
+		if !isRemoteIP(st, ip) {
+			return ip, ExitNodeLocalIPError{s}
+		}
 		// If we're online already and have a netmap, double check that the IP
 		// address specified is valid.
 		if st.BackendState == "Running" {
@@ -858,9 +861,6 @@ func exitNodeIPOfArg(s string, st *ipnstate.Status) (ip netip.Addr, err error) {
 				return ip, fmt.Errorf("node %v is not advertising an exit node", ip)
 			}
 		}
-		if !isRemoteIP(st, ip) {
-			return ip, ExitNodeLocalIPError{s}
-		}
 		return ip, nil
 	}
 	match := 0
diff --git a/ipn/prefs_test.go b/ipn/prefs_test.go
index 7aac20c80..3339a631c 100644
--- a/ipn/prefs_test.go
+++ b/ipn/prefs_test.go
@@ -897,6 +897,23 @@ func TestExitNodeIPOfArg(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			wantErr: `no node found in netmap with IP 1.2.3.4`,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "ip_is_self",
+			arg:  "1.2.3.4",
+			st: &ipnstate.Status{
+				TailscaleIPs: []netip.Addr{mustIP("1.2.3.4")},
+			},
+			wantErr: "cannot use 1.2.3.4 as an exit node as it is a local IP address to this machine",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "ip_is_self_when_backend_running",
+			arg:  "1.2.3.4",
+			st: &ipnstate.Status{
+				BackendState: "Running",
+				TailscaleIPs: []netip.Addr{mustIP("1.2.3.4")},
+			},
+			wantErr: "cannot use 1.2.3.4 as an exit node as it is a local IP address to this machine",
+		},
 		{
 			name: "ip_not_exit",
 			arg:  "1.2.3.4",