diff --git a/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite b/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite
index 4e9281677..c4fc7fc7d 100755
--- a/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite
+++ b/Shorewall-lite/shorewall-lite
@@ -1206,6 +1206,8 @@ fi
 ensure_config_path
 export CONFIG_PATH
 
+[ -n "$LITEDIR" ] || { echo "   ERROR: LITEDIR not defined in ${SHAREDIR}/configpath" >&2; exit 2; }
+
 get_config
 
 FIREWALL=$LITEDIR/firewall
diff --git a/Shorewall/functions b/Shorewall/functions
index 9f2e4a29c..8db8113a1 100644
--- a/Shorewall/functions
+++ b/Shorewall/functions
@@ -219,8 +219,6 @@ ensure_config_path() {
 	[ -f $F ] || { echo "   ERROR: $F does not exist"; exit 2; }
 	. $F
     fi
-
-    [ -n "$LITEDIR" ] || { echo "   ERROR: LITEDIR not defined in $F"; exit 2; }
 }
 
 #
diff --git a/Shorewall/shorewall b/Shorewall/shorewall
index b1dd7e36e..2cb8a006e 100755
--- a/Shorewall/shorewall
+++ b/Shorewall/shorewall
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ get_config() {
 	# This block is avoided for compile for export and when the user isn't root
 	#
 	export CONFIG_PATH
-	export LITEDIR
 
 	[ -z "$LOGFILE" ] && LOGFILE=/var/log/messages
 
@@ -1306,6 +1305,8 @@ reload_command()
 {
     local verbose=$(make_verbose)
 
+    [ -n "$LITEDIR" ] || { echo "   ERROR: LITEDIR not defined in ${SHAREDIR}/configpath" >&2; exit 2; }
+
     if shorewall $debugging $verbose compile -e $1 $1/firewall && \
 	echo "Copying ${1}/firewall to ${2}:${LITEDIR}..." && \
 	scp $1/firewall root@${2}:${LITEDIR}