diff --git a/src/ert/config/ert_config.py b/src/ert/config/ert_config.py
index 6569e52eb13..858bd31ba82 100644
--- a/src/ert/config/ert_config.py
+++ b/src/ert/config/ert_config.py
@@ -307,7 +307,6 @@ def from_dict(cls, config_dict) -> Self:
             errors.append(err)
 
         try:
-            ensemble_config = EnsembleConfig.from_dict(config_dict=config_dict)
             if obs_config_content:
                 summary_obs = {
                     obs[1].key
@@ -319,6 +318,7 @@ def from_dict(cls, config_dict) -> Self:
                     config_dict[ConfigKeys.SUMMARY] = [summary_keys] + [
                         [key] for key in summary_obs if key not in summary_keys
                     ]
+            ensemble_config = EnsembleConfig.from_dict(config_dict=config_dict)
             if model_config:
                 observations = cls._create_observations(
                     obs_config_content,