diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 3021c70..d08140f 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ local function handle_command(name, param)
 	for p in string.gmatch(param, "[^%s]+") do
 		table.insert(params, p)
 	end
+	local is_admin = minetest.get_player_privs(name)[factions.priv]
 	local action = params[1]
 	if action == "create" then
 		local faction_name = params[2]
@@ -243,8 +244,8 @@ local function handle_command(name, param)
 				table.concat(own_factions, ", ")
 			)
 		elseif not facts[faction_name] then
-		elseif name ~= factions.get_owner(faction_name) and not minetest.get_player_privs(name)[factions.priv] then
 			return false, S("Faction @1 doesn't exist.", faction_name)
+		elseif name ~= factions.get_owner(faction_name) and not is_admin then
 			return false, S("Permission denied: You are not the owner of that faction, " ..
 				"and don't have the @1 privilege.", factions.priv)
 		elseif not factions.valid_password(faction_name, password) then