diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 36548df..194bddc 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ Known issues:
 
 ## not yet released
 
+- [joyent/node-triton#250] Avoid an error from `triton profile list` if
+  only *some* of the minimal `TRITON_` or `SDC_` envvars are defined.
 - [TRITON-401] Add `triton network` and `triton vlan` commands, for
   creating/changing/removing network fabrics and VLANs.
 - [TRITON-524] Add `triton inst get --credentials ...` option to match
diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
index fe2fda0..ea9dc36 100644
--- a/lib/config.js
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -299,12 +299,11 @@ function _loadEnvProfile(profileOverrides) {
     for (var attr in profileOverrides) {
         envProfile[attr] = profileOverrides[attr];
     }
+
     /*
-     * If none of the above envvars are defined, then there is no env profile.
+     * If missing any of the required vars, then there is no env profile.
      */
-    if (!envProfile.account && !envProfile.user && !envProfile.url &&
-        !envProfile.keyId)
-    {
+    if (!envProfile.account || !envProfile.url || !envProfile.keyId) {
         return null;
     }
     validateProfile(envProfile, 'environment variables');
@@ -366,10 +365,11 @@ function loadProfile(opts) {
 function loadAllProfiles(opts) {
     assert.string(opts.configDir, 'opts.configDir');
     assert.object(opts.log, 'opts.log');
+    assert.optionalObject(opts.profileOverrides, 'opts.profileOverrides');
 
     var profiles = [];
 
-    var envProfile = _loadEnvProfile();
+    var envProfile = _loadEnvProfile(opts.profileOverrides);
     if (envProfile) {
         profiles.push(envProfile);
     }
diff --git a/lib/do_profile/do_list.js b/lib/do_profile/do_list.js
index 35ece1d..c629d6a 100644
--- a/lib/do_profile/do_list.js
+++ b/lib/do_profile/do_list.js
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ function _listProfiles(cli, opts, args, cb) {
     try {
         profiles = mod_config.loadAllProfiles({
             configDir: cli.configDir,
-            log: cli.log
+            log: cli.log,
+            profileOverrides: cli._cliOptsAsProfile()
         });
     } catch (e) {
         return cb(e);