diff --git a/etcdmain/config.go b/etcdmain/config.go
index e70f7df1b9c..b6bd8bbb870 100644
--- a/etcdmain/config.go
+++ b/etcdmain/config.go
@@ -283,6 +283,14 @@ func (cfg *config) parse(arguments []string) error {
 	}
 
 	var err error
+
+	// This env variable must be parsed separately
+	// because we need to determine whether to use or
+	// ignore the env variables based on if the config file is set.
+	if cfg.configFile == "" {
+		cfg.configFile = os.Getenv(flags.FlagToEnv("ETCD", "config-file"))
+	}
+
 	if cfg.configFile != "" {
 		err = cfg.configFromFile(cfg.configFile)
 		if lg := cfg.ec.GetLogger(); lg != nil {