diff --git a/freqtrade/commands/data_commands.py b/freqtrade/commands/data_commands.py
index 2019413b5..21b7a3194 100644
--- a/freqtrade/commands/data_commands.py
+++ b/freqtrade/commands/data_commands.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from freqtrade.enums import CandleType, RunMode, TradingMode
 from freqtrade.exceptions import OperationalException
 from freqtrade.exchange import timeframe_to_minutes
 from freqtrade.exchange.exchange import market_is_active
-from freqtrade.plugins.pairlist.pairlist_helpers import expand_pairlist
+from freqtrade.plugins.pairlist.pairlist_helpers import dynamic_expand_pairlist, expand_pairlist
 from freqtrade.resolvers import ExchangeResolver
 
 
@@ -50,12 +50,8 @@ def start_download_data(args: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
     exchange = ExchangeResolver.load_exchange(config['exchange']['name'], config, validate=False)
     markets = [p for p, m in exchange.markets.items() if market_is_active(m)
                or config.get('include_inactive')]
-    if config.get('freqai', {}):
-        full_pairs = config['pairs'] + [pair for pair in config['freqai']['corr_pairlist']
-                                        if pair not in config['pairs']]
-        expanded_pairs = expand_pairlist(full_pairs, markets)
-    else:
-        expanded_pairs = expand_pairlist(config['pairs'], markets)
+
+    expanded_pairs = dynamic_expand_pairlist(config, markets)
 
     # Manual validations of relevant settings
     if not config['exchange'].get('skip_pair_validation', False):
diff --git a/freqtrade/plugins/pairlist/pairlist_helpers.py b/freqtrade/plugins/pairlist/pairlist_helpers.py
index 1de27fcbd..23233481a 100644
--- a/freqtrade/plugins/pairlist/pairlist_helpers.py
+++ b/freqtrade/plugins/pairlist/pairlist_helpers.py
@@ -40,3 +40,14 @@ def expand_pairlist(wildcardpl: List[str], available_pairs: List[str],
             except re.error as err:
                 raise ValueError(f"Wildcard error in {pair_wc}, {err}")
     return result
+
+
+def dynamic_expand_pairlist(config: dict, markets: list) -> List[str]:
+    if config.get('freqai', {}):
+        full_pairs = config['pairs'] + [pair for pair in config['freqai']['corr_pairlist']
+                                        if pair not in config['pairs']]
+        expanded_pairs = expand_pairlist(full_pairs, markets)
+    else:
+        expanded_pairs = expand_pairlist(config['pairs'], markets)
+
+    return expanded_pairs