diff --git a/ipalib/config.py b/ipalib/config.py
index 9d877828f..20591dbf0 100644
--- a/ipalib/config.py
+++ b/ipalib/config.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ from ipapython.dn import DN
 from ipalib.base import check_name
 from ipalib.constants import CONFIG_SECTION
 from ipalib.constants import OVERRIDE_ERROR, SET_ERROR, DEL_ERROR
-from ipapython.admintool import ScriptError
+from ipalib import errors
 
 if six.PY3:
     unicode = str
@@ -462,11 +462,17 @@ class Env(object):
 
         # Set confdir:
         self.env_confdir = os.environ.get('IPA_CONFDIR')
+
+        if 'confdir' in self and self.env_confdir is not None:
+            raise errors.EnvironmentError(
+                    "IPA_CONFDIR env cannot be set because explicit confdir "
+                    "is used")
+
         if 'confdir' not in self:
             if self.env_confdir is not None:
                 if (not path.isabs(self.env_confdir)
                         or not path.isdir(self.env_confdir)):
-                    raise ScriptError(
+                    raise errors.EnvironmentError(
                         "IPA_CONFDIR env var must be an absolute path to an "
                         "existing directory, got '{}'.".format(
                             self.env_confdir))
diff --git a/ipalib/errors.py b/ipalib/errors.py
index d1fe5f0ac..88707ac31 100644
--- a/ipalib/errors.py
+++ b/ipalib/errors.py
@@ -445,6 +445,13 @@ class RefererError(PublicError):
     format = _('Missing or invalid HTTP Referer, %(referer)s')
 
 
+class EnvironmentError(PublicError):
+    """
+    **912** Raised when a command is called with invalid environment settings
+    """
+
+    errno = 912
+
 ##############################################################################
 # 1000 - 1999: Authentication errors
 class AuthenticationError(PublicError):
diff --git a/ipalib/plugable.py b/ipalib/plugable.py
index 142b3e60d..1a9164fc6 100644
--- a/ipalib/plugable.py
+++ b/ipalib/plugable.py
@@ -717,10 +717,6 @@ class API(ReadOnly):
             if self.env.env_confdir == self.env.confdir:
                 self.log.info(
                     "IPA_CONFDIR env sets confdir to '%s'.", self.env.confdir)
-            else:
-                self.log.warn(
-                    "IPA_CONFDIR env is overridden by an explicit confdir "
-                    "argument.")
 
         for plugin in self.__plugins:
             if not self.env.validate_api: