--- a/tools/tryselect/mach_commands.py
+++ b/tools/tryselect/mach_commands.py
@@ -1,25 +1,36 @@
 # This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
 # License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
 # file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function, unicode_literals
 
 import argparse
+import os
+import sys
 
 from mach.decorators import (
     CommandArgument,
     CommandProvider,
     Command,
     SubCommand,
 )
 
 from mozbuild.base import BuildEnvironmentNotFoundException, MachCommandBase
 
+CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT_NOT_FOUND = '''
+No config environment detected. This means we are unable to properly
+detect test files in the specified paths or tags. Please run:
+
+    $ mach configure
+
+and try again.
+'''.lstrip()
+
 
 def syntax_parser():
     from tryselect.selectors.syntax import arg_parser
     parser = arg_parser()
     # The --no-artifact flag is only interpreted locally by |mach try|; it's not
     # like the --artifact flag, which is interpreted remotely by the try server.
     #
     # We need a tri-state where set is different than the default value, so we
@@ -106,13 +117,18 @@ class TrySelect(MachCommandBase):
             if self.substs.get("MOZ_ARTIFACT_BUILDS"):
                 kwargs['local_artifact_build'] = True
         except BuildEnvironmentNotFoundException:
             # If we don't have a build locally, we can't tell whether
             # an artifact build is desired, but we still want the
             # command to succeed, if possible.
             pass
 
+        config_status = os.path.join(self.topobjdir, 'config.status')
+        if (kwargs['paths'] or kwargs['tags']) and not config_status:
+            print(CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT_NOT_FOUND)
+            sys.exit(1)
+
         def resolver_func():
             return self._spawn(TestResolver)
 
         at = AutoTry(self.topsrcdir, resolver_func, self._mach_context)
         return at.run(**kwargs)

--- a/tools/tryselect/selectors/syntax.py
+++ b/tools/tryselect/selectors/syntax.py
@@ -10,25 +10,16 @@ import os
 import re
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import which
 from collections import defaultdict
 
 import mozpack.path as mozpath
 
-CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT_NOT_FOUND = '''
-No config environment detected. This means we are unable to properly
-detect test files in the specified paths or tags. Please run:
-
-    $ mach configure
-
-and try again.
-'''.lstrip()
-
 
 def arg_parser():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
     parser.add_argument('paths', nargs='*', help='Paths to search for tests to run on try.')
     parser.add_argument('-b', '--build', dest='builds', default='do',
                         help='Build types to run (d for debug, o for optimized).')
     parser.add_argument('-p', '--platform', dest='platforms', action='append',
                         help='Platforms to run (required if not found in the environment as '
@@ -724,20 +715,16 @@ class AutoTry(object):
             sys.exit(1)
 
         if not any(kwargs[item] for item in ("paths", "tests", "tags")):
             kwargs["paths"], kwargs["tags"] = self.find_paths_and_tags(kwargs["verbose"])
 
         builds, platforms, tests, talos, jobs, paths, tags, extra = self.validate_args(**kwargs)
 
         if paths or tags:
-            if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(self.topobjdir, 'config.status')):
-                print(CONFIG_ENVIRONMENT_NOT_FOUND)
-                sys.exit(1)
-
             paths = [os.path.relpath(os.path.normpath(os.path.abspath(item)), self.topsrcdir)
                      for item in paths]
             paths_by_flavor = self.paths_by_flavor(paths=paths, tags=tags)
 
             if not paths_by_flavor and not tests:
                 print("No tests were found when attempting to resolve paths:\n\n\t%s" %
                       paths)
                 sys.exit(1)