diff --git a/sop-java-picocli/src/main/java/sop/cli/picocli/commands/GenerateKeyCmd.java b/sop-java-picocli/src/main/java/sop/cli/picocli/commands/GenerateKeyCmd.java
index 1d08b7c..aac7124 100644
--- a/sop-java-picocli/src/main/java/sop/cli/picocli/commands/GenerateKeyCmd.java
+++ b/sop-java-picocli/src/main/java/sop/cli/picocli/commands/GenerateKeyCmd.java
@@ -32,13 +32,22 @@ public class GenerateKeyCmd extends AbstractSopCmd {
 
     @CommandLine.Option(names = "--profile",
             paramLabel = "PROFILE")
-    String profile = "default";
+    String profile;
 
     @Override
     public void run() {
         GenerateKey generateKey = throwIfUnsupportedSubcommand(
                 SopCLI.getSop().generateKey(), "generate-key");
 
+        if (profile != null) {
+            try {
+                generateKey.profile(profile);
+            } catch (SOPGPException.UnsupportedProfile e) {
+                String errorMsg = getMsg("sop.error.usage.profile_not_supported", "generate-key", profile);
+                throw new SOPGPException.UnsupportedProfile(errorMsg, e);
+            }
+        }
+
         for (String userId : userId) {
             generateKey.userId(userId);
         }
@@ -47,13 +56,6 @@ public class GenerateKeyCmd extends AbstractSopCmd {
             generateKey.noArmor();
         }
 
-        try {
-            generateKey.profile(profile);
-        } catch (SOPGPException.UnsupportedProfile e) {
-            String errorMsg = getMsg("sop.error.usage.profile_not_supported", "generate-key", profile);
-            throw new SOPGPException.UnsupportedProfile(errorMsg, e);
-        }
-
         if (withKeyPassword != null) {
             try {
                 String password = stringFromInputStream(getInput(withKeyPassword));