diff --git a/ldm/invoke/CLI.py b/ldm/invoke/CLI.py
index 565f21e389..6fc441aac6 100644
--- a/ldm/invoke/CLI.py
+++ b/ldm/invoke/CLI.py
@@ -48,11 +48,12 @@ def main():
     # alert - setting a global here
     Globals.try_patchmatch = args.patchmatch
 
-    if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(Globals.root,'configs','models.yaml')):
-        print(f"\n** Error. The file {os.path.join(Globals.root,'configs','models.yaml')} could not be found.")
-        print(f'** Please check the location of your invokeai directory and use the --root_dir option to point to the correct path.')
-        print(f'** This script will now exit.')
-        sys.exit(-1)
+    if not args.conf:
+        if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(Globals.root,'configs','models.yaml')):
+            print(f"\n** Error. The file {os.path.join(Globals.root,'configs','models.yaml')} could not be found.")
+            print(f'** Please check the location of your invokeai directory and use the --root_dir option to point to the correct path.')
+            print(f'** This script will now exit.')
+            sys.exit(-1)
 
     print(f'>> InvokeAI runtime directory is "{Globals.root}"')