diff --git a/cmd/traefik/plugins.go b/cmd/traefik/plugins.go
index 0eee4b545..dd709eee9 100644
--- a/cmd/traefik/plugins.go
+++ b/cmd/traefik/plugins.go
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ func initPlugins(staticCfg *static.Configuration) (*plugins.Client, map[string]p
 	var client *plugins.Client
 	plgs := map[string]plugins.Descriptor{}
 
-	if isPilotEnabled(staticCfg) && hasPlugins(staticCfg) {
+	if hasPlugins(staticCfg) {
 		opts := plugins.ClientOptions{
 			Output: outputDir,
-			Token:  staticCfg.Pilot.Token,
+			Token:  getPilotToken(staticCfg),
 		}
 
 		var err error
@@ -79,6 +79,14 @@ func isPilotEnabled(staticCfg *static.Configuration) bool {
 	return staticCfg.Pilot != nil && staticCfg.Pilot.Token != ""
 }
 
+func getPilotToken(staticCfg *static.Configuration) string {
+	if staticCfg.Pilot == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	return staticCfg.Pilot.Token
+}
+
 func hasPlugins(staticCfg *static.Configuration) bool {
 	return staticCfg.Experimental != nil && len(staticCfg.Experimental.Plugins) > 0
 }