The lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery in which the ionic liquid (IL) C4mpyr-TFSI is a major component of the electrolyte has attracted much attention by researchers due to the ability of the IL to suppress the polysulfide shuttle effect, combined with advantageous properties of thermal, chemical and electrochemical stability. In a largely parallel stream of research, LiNO3 has come to be known as an additive for improving Li–S battery performance through its influence on protecting the lithium anode and beneficial interaction with the polysulfide shuttle. In this work a deeper understanding is sought of the combined effects of LiNO3 and C4mpyr-TFSI on the factors that impact Li–S cell performance. Specifically, we investigate the formation of the protective surface film on lithium anode and results are compared with those for a typical organic electrolyte for the Li–S battery, DOL:DME. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) confirms that the LiNO3 additive is vital to achieving acceptable levels of performance with the organic electrolyte. Although LiNO3 improves the performance of a battery assembled with IL containing electrolyte, it shows a higher impact in the organic electrolyte based battery. Furthermore X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectra confirm the participation of C4mpyr-TFSI on the formation of the interphase layer on the anode.