diff --git a/scripts/main.py b/scripts/main.py
index 51495e20..4740c626 100644
--- a/scripts/main.py
+++ b/scripts/main.py
@@ -281,8 +281,6 @@ next_action_count = 0
 # Make a constant:
 user_input = "Determine which next command to use, and respond using the format specified above:"
 
-# raise an exception if pinecone_api_key or region is not provided
-if not cfg.pinecone_api_key or not cfg.pinecone_region: raise Exception("Please provide pinecone_api_key and pinecone_region")
 # Initialize memory and make sure it is empty.
 # this is particularly important for indexing and referencing pinecone memory
 memory = MemoryFactory.get_memory(cfg.memory_provider)
diff --git a/scripts/providers/pinecone.py b/scripts/providers/pinecone.py
index 971ef186..e8cf019a 100644
--- a/scripts/providers/pinecone.py
+++ b/scripts/providers/pinecone.py
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ cfg = Config()
 
 class PineconeMemory(Memory):
     def __init__(self):
+        # raise an exception if pinecone_api_key or region is not provided
+        if not cfg.pinecone_api_key or not cfg.pinecone_region: raise Exception("Please provide pinecone_api_key and pinecone_region")
+
         pinecone_api_key = cfg.pinecone_api_key
         pinecone_region = cfg.pinecone_region
         pinecone.init(api_key=pinecone_api_key, environment=pinecone_region)