diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/hidden_state.c b/sway/commands/bar/hidden_state.c
index 1f08a5d2e..8b661e3a1 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/hidden_state.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/hidden_state.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_hidden_state(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 
 	const char *state = argv[0];
-	if (config->reading) {
+	if (config->current_bar) {
 		error = bar_set_hidden_state(config->current_bar, state);
 	} else {
 		const char *id = argc == 2 ? argv[1] : NULL;
diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/mode.c b/sway/commands/bar/mode.c
index 8b3fb275a..7c2f423bb 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/mode.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/mode.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_mode(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 
 	const char *mode = argv[0];
-	if (config->reading) {
+	if (config->current_bar) {
 		error = bar_set_mode(config->current_bar, mode);
 	} else {
 		const char *id = argc == 2 ? argv[1] : NULL;