diff --git a/tools/plugin/alsaplug/pcm.c b/tools/plugin/alsaplug/pcm.c
index f4b3439d8..33efd3cf5 100644
--- a/tools/plugin/alsaplug/pcm.c
+++ b/tools/plugin/alsaplug/pcm.c
@@ -1012,7 +1012,7 @@ SND_PCM_PLUGIN_DEFINE_FUNC(sof)
 		pcm->capture = 1;
 
 	/* parse the ALSA configuration file for sof plugin */
-	err = plug_parse_conf(plug, name, root, conf);
+	err = plug_parse_conf(plug, name, root, conf, false);
 	if (err < 0) {
 		SNDERR("failed to parse config: %s", strerror(err));
 		goto parse_conf_err;
diff --git a/tools/plugin/alsaplug/plugin.c b/tools/plugin/alsaplug/plugin.c
index b21e728c6..c8fb86ce8 100644
--- a/tools/plugin/alsaplug/plugin.c
+++ b/tools/plugin/alsaplug/plugin.c
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ static int parse_slave_configs(snd_sof_plug_t *plug, snd_config_t *n)
  * Parse the client cmdline. Format is
  * tplg:pcm:card:dev:config[dai_pipe:card:dev:config]...]
  */
-static int parse_client_cmdline(snd_sof_plug_t *plug, char *cmdline)
+static int parse_client_cmdline(snd_sof_plug_t *plug, char *cmdline, bool just_tplg)
 {
 	struct plug_cmdline_item *cmd_item;
 	char *tplg, *next, *card, *dev, *config, *pcm;
@@ -328,6 +328,9 @@ static int parse_client_cmdline(snd_sof_plug_t *plug, char *cmdline)
 	if (!plug->tplg_file)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
+	if (just_tplg)
+		return 0;
+
 	/* get PCM ID */
 	pcm = strtok_r(next, ":", &next);
 	if (!pcm) {
@@ -393,7 +396,7 @@ static int parse_client_cmdline(snd_sof_plug_t *plug, char *cmdline)
  * TODO: contruct sof pipe cmd line.
  */
 int plug_parse_conf(snd_sof_plug_t *plug, const char *name, snd_config_t *root,
-		    snd_config_t *conf)
+		    snd_config_t *conf, bool just_tplg)
 {
 	snd_config_iterator_t i, next;
 	const char *tplg = NULL;
@@ -443,7 +446,7 @@ int plug_parse_conf(snd_sof_plug_t *plug, const char *name, snd_config_t *root,
 	}
 
 	/* parse the client command line */
-	if (parse_client_cmdline(plug, (char *)tplg)) {
+	if (parse_client_cmdline(plug, (char *)tplg, just_tplg)) {
 		SNDERR("invalid sof cmd line");
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
diff --git a/tools/plugin/alsaplug/plugin.h b/tools/plugin/alsaplug/plugin.h
index d0f6c85a1..430f46b94 100644
--- a/tools/plugin/alsaplug/plugin.h
+++ b/tools/plugin/alsaplug/plugin.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ int sofplug_load_hook(snd_config_t *root, snd_config_t *config,
 		      snd_config_t **dst, snd_config_t *private_data);
 
 int plug_parse_conf(snd_sof_plug_t *plug, const char *name,
-		    snd_config_t *root, snd_config_t *conf);
+		    snd_config_t *root, snd_config_t *conf, bool just_tplg);
 int plug_parse_topology(snd_sof_plug_t *plug);
 int plug_set_up_pipelines(snd_sof_plug_t *plug, int dir);
 int plug_free_pipelines(snd_sof_plug_t *plug, struct tplg_pipeline_list *pipeline_list, int dir);