diff --git a/deluge/main.py b/deluge/main.py
index 2308f9f71..57e7c0615 100644
--- a/deluge/main.py
+++ b/deluge/main.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def start_ui():
         \t web -- A web-based interface (http://localhost:8112)\n
         \t console -- A console or command-line interface""", action="store", type="str")
     parser.add_option("-c", "--config", dest="config",
-        help="Set the config location", action="store", type="str")
+        help="Set the config folder location", action="store", type="str")
     parser.add_option("-l", "--logfile", dest="logfile",
         help="Output to designated logfile instead of stdout", action="store", type="str")
     parser.add_option("-a", "--args", dest="args",
@@ -78,6 +78,17 @@ def start_ui():
     # Get the options and args from the OptionParser
     (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
 
+    if options.config:
+        if not os.path.exists(options.config):
+            # Try to create the config folder if it doesn't exist
+            try:
+                os.makedirs(options.config)
+            except Exception, e:
+                pass
+        elif not os.path.isdir(options.config):
+            print "Config option needs to be a directory!"
+            sys.exit(1)
+
     if options.default_ui:
         if options.config:
             deluge.configmanager.set_config_dir(options.config)
@@ -91,13 +102,6 @@ def start_ui():
     if options.quiet:
         options.loglevel = "none"
 
-    if options.config:
-        if not os.path.exists(options.config):
-            # Try to create the config folder if it doesn't exist
-            try:
-                os.makedirs(options.config)
-            except Exception, e:
-                pass
     else:
         if not os.path.exists(deluge.common.get_default_config_dir()):
             os.makedirs(deluge.common.get_default_config_dir())