diff --git a/src/config_files.rs b/src/config_files.rs
index be8632b6c2..3793e4e570 100644
--- a/src/config_files.rs
+++ b/src/config_files.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use nu_cli::read_plugin_file;
 use nu_cli::{eval_config_contents, eval_source};
 use nu_path::canonicalize_with;
 use nu_protocol::engine::{EngineState, Stack, StateWorkingSet};
-use nu_protocol::report_error;
+use nu_protocol::{report_error, Span};
 use nu_protocol::{ParseError, PipelineData, Spanned};
 use nu_utils::{get_default_config, get_default_env};
 use std::fs::File;
@@ -207,8 +207,13 @@ pub(crate) fn setup_config(
     // Give a warning if we see `$config` for a few releases
     {
         let working_set = StateWorkingSet::new(engine_state);
-        if working_set.find_variable(b"$config").is_some() {
-            println!("warning: use `let-env config = ...` instead of `let config = ...`");
+        if let Some(var) = working_set
+            .find_variable(b"$config")
+            .and_then(|id| stack.get_var(id, Span::unknown()).ok())
+        {
+            if var.as_record().is_ok() {
+                println!("warning: use `let-env config = ...` instead of `let config = ...`");
+            }
         }
     }
 }