diff --git a/src/charon-cmd/cmd/cmd_connection.c b/src/charon-cmd/cmd/cmd_connection.c
index aaf02c6c7..cb1660090 100644
--- a/src/charon-cmd/cmd/cmd_connection.c
+++ b/src/charon-cmd/cmd/cmd_connection.c
@@ -247,8 +247,9 @@ static void add_auth_cfg(private_cmd_connection_t *this, peer_cfg_t *peer_cfg,
 		else
 		{
 			id = identification_create_from_string(this->host);
+			/* only use this if remote ID was not configured explicitly */
+			auth->add(auth, AUTH_RULE_IDENTITY_LOOSE, TRUE);
 		}
-		auth->add(auth, AUTH_RULE_IDENTITY_LOOSE, TRUE);
 	}
 	auth->add(auth, AUTH_RULE_IDENTITY, id);
 	peer_cfg->add_auth_cfg(peer_cfg, auth, local);