diff --git a/finality-provider/cmd/cmd.go b/finality-provider/cmd/cmd.go
index 52aa4061..8da3b6bd 100644
--- a/finality-provider/cmd/cmd.go
+++ b/finality-provider/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
@@ -30,6 +31,10 @@ func PersistClientCtx(ctx client.Context) func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) e
 			WithLegacyAmino(tempApp.LegacyAmino()).
 			WithInput(os.Stdin)
 
+		// ensure cmd context is not nil. Later it will be replaced
+		// by SetCmdClientContextHandler
+		cmd.SetContext(context.Background())
+
 		// set the default command outputs
 		cmd.SetOut(cmd.OutOrStdout())
 		cmd.SetErr(cmd.ErrOrStderr())