diff --git a/cmd/atlas/internal/cmdapi/schema.go b/cmd/atlas/internal/cmdapi/schema.go
index 41632fd346a..4c05f427115 100644
--- a/cmd/atlas/internal/cmdapi/schema.go
+++ b/cmd/atlas/internal/cmdapi/schema.go
@@ -59,9 +59,10 @@ func (f *schemaApplyFlags) check(env *Env) error {
 	switch {
 	case f.url == "":
 		return errors.New(`required flag(s) "url" not set`)
-	case f.planURL != "" && len(f.toURLs) == 0:
-		return errors.New(`the flag "to" is required to verify the provided plan`)
 	case len(f.paths) == 0 && len(f.toURLs) == 0:
+		if f.planURL != "" {
+			return errors.New(`the flag "to" is required to verify the provided plan`)
+		}
 		return errors.New(`one of flag(s) "file" or "to" is required`)
 	case f.txMode != txModeNone && f.txMode != txModeFile:
 		return fmt.Errorf("unknown tx-mode %q", f.txMode)