diff --git a/plugins/config/config.go b/plugins/config/config.go
index a39cf1c56..17785b337 100644
--- a/plugins/config/config.go
+++ b/plugins/config/config.go
@@ -17,6 +17,20 @@ func GetWithDefault(appName string, key string, defaultValue string) string {
 	return env.GetDefault(key, defaultValue)
 }
 
+//HasKey determines if the config given by appName has a value for the given key
+func HasKey(appName string, key string) bool {
+	env, err := loadConfig(appName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	for _, v := range env.Keys() {
+		if v == key {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 //SetMany variables in the environment. If appName is empty the global config is used. If restart is true the app is restarted.
 func SetMany(appName string, entries map[string]string, restart bool) {
 	global := appName == ""
diff --git a/plugins/config/src/subcommands/get/get.go b/plugins/config/src/subcommands/get/get.go
index f9d4fa162..6419bb8c7 100644
--- a/plugins/config/src/subcommands/get/get.go
+++ b/plugins/config/src/subcommands/get/get.go
@@ -24,8 +24,11 @@ func main() {
 	if len(keys) == 0 {
 		common.LogFail("Expected: key")
 	}
-	value := config.GetWithDefault(appName, keys[0], "")
+	if !config.HasKey(appName, keys[0]) {
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
 
+	value := config.GetWithDefault(appName, keys[0], "")
 	if *quoted {
 		fmt.Printf("'%s'", configenv.SingleQuoteEscape(value))
 	} else {