diff --git a/start.py b/start.py
index 563ce7607..51d43991e 100644
--- a/start.py
+++ b/start.py
@@ -872,12 +872,12 @@ def process_uri():
     username = data.get("userName")
 
     os.environ[SERVER_URL_ENV_KEY] = server_url
-    _connect_to_ayon_server(username=username)
-    variant = data["variant"]
 
     # Cleanup environemnt variables
     env = os.environ.copy()
     # Remove all possible clash env keys
+    # - removing 'AYON_API_KEY' removes option to have set
+    # the env variable globaly on machine
     for key in {
         "AYON_API_KEY",
         "AYON_USE_STAGING",
@@ -885,6 +885,9 @@ def process_uri():
     }:
         env.pop(key, None)
 
+    _connect_to_ayon_server(username=username)
+    variant = data["variant"]
+
     # Set new environment variables based on information from server
     if variant == "staging":
         env["AYON_USE_STAGING"] = "1"