diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/validators.ex b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/validators.ex
index 598f1fd80c..cbef3a1643 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/validators.ex
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/validators.ex
@@ -31,18 +31,6 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Core.Validators do
   def chain([], _) do
     :ok
   end
-  def chain([validator | rest], args, error_key) do
-    case apply(validator, args) do
-      :ok                        -> chain(rest, args, error_key)
-      {:ok, _}                   -> chain(rest, args, error_key)
-      {:validation_failure, err} -> {error_key, err}
-      {:error, err}              -> {error_key, err}
-    end
-  end
-  def chain([], _, _) do
-    :ok
-  end
-
 
   def node_is_not_running(_, %{node: node_name}) do
     case Helpers.node_running?(node_name) do
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/disable_command.ex b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/disable_command.ex
index 3dce4ac115..255e4ce4d5 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/disable_command.ex
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/disable_command.ex
@@ -50,8 +50,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Plugins.Commands.DisableCommand do
                       &Helpers.require_rabbit_and_plugins/2,
                       &PluginHelpers.enabled_plugins_file/2,
                       &Helpers.plugins_dir/2],
-                     [args, opts],
-                     :environment_validation_failure)
+                     [args, opts])
   end
 
   def usage, do: "disable <plugin>|--all [--offline] [--online]"
@@ -63,7 +62,6 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Plugins.Commands.DisableCommand do
     ["Disabling plugins on node #{node_name}:" | plugins]
   end
 
-
   def run(plugin_names, %{all: all_flag, node: node_name} = opts) do
     plugins = case all_flag do
       false -> for s <- plugin_names, do: String.to_atom(s);
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/enable_command.ex b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/enable_command.ex
index 4366b8e046..4ef0b62fad 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/enable_command.ex
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/enable_command.ex
@@ -50,8 +50,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Plugins.Commands.EnableCommand do
                       &Helpers.require_rabbit_and_plugins/2,
                       &PluginHelpers.enabled_plugins_file/2,
                       &Helpers.plugins_dir/2],
-                     [args, opts],
-                     :environment_validation_failure)
+                     [args, opts])
   end
 
   def usage, do: "enable <plugin>|--all [--offline] [--online]"
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/list_command.ex b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/list_command.ex
index f70f9de53e..b9b7786158 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/list_command.ex
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/list_command.ex
@@ -55,8 +55,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Plugins.Commands.ListCommand do
                       &Helpers.require_rabbit_and_plugins/2,
                       &PluginHelpers.enabled_plugins_file/2,
                       &Helpers.plugins_dir/2],
-                     [args, opts],
-                     :environment_validation_failure)
+                     [args, opts])
   end
 
   def usage, do: "list [pattern] [--verbose] [--minimal] [--enabled] [--implicitly-enabled]"
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/set_command.ex b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/set_command.ex
index b2c57187af..471dde0bf8 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/set_command.ex
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/set_command.ex
@@ -43,8 +43,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Plugins.Commands.SetCommand do
                       &Helpers.require_rabbit_and_plugins/2,
                       &PluginHelpers.enabled_plugins_file/2,
                       &Helpers.plugins_dir/2],
-                     [args, opts],
-                     :environment_validation_failure)
+                     [args, opts])
   end
 
   def usage, do: "set [<plugin>] [--offline] [--online]"
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmqctl.ex b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmqctl.ex
index dc8170d81f..cd3e8b5301 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmqctl.ex
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmqctl.ex
@@ -77,13 +77,15 @@ defmodule RabbitMQCtl do
             :ok ->
               # then optionally validate execution environment
               case maybe_validate_execution_environment(command, arguments, options) do
-                :ok   -> proceed_to_execution(command, arguments, options)
-                other -> other
+                :ok                        ->
+                  result = proceed_to_execution(command, arguments, options)
+                  handle_command_output(result, command, options, output_fun);
+                {:validation_failure, err} ->
+                  argument_validation_error_output(err, command, unparsed_command, options)
               end
-            other -> other
-            # handle_command_output will handle all the errors
-            # among other things
-          end |> handle_command_output(command, options, unparsed_command, output_fun)
+            {:validation_failure, err} ->
+              environment_validation_error_output(err, command, unparsed_command, options)
+          end
         end)
     end
   end
@@ -113,16 +115,12 @@ defmodule RabbitMQCtl do
     end
   end
 
-  defp handle_command_output(output, command, options, unparsed_command, output_fun) do
+  def handle_command_output(output, command, options, output_fun) do
     case output do
       {:error, _, _} = err ->
         err;
       {:error, _} = err ->
         format_error(err, options, command);
-      {:validation_failure, err} ->
-        argument_validation_error_output(err, command, unparsed_command, options);
-      {:environment_validation_failure, err} ->
-        environment_validation_error_output(err, command, unparsed_command, options);
       _  ->
         output_fun.(output, command, options)
     end
@@ -252,13 +250,13 @@ defmodule RabbitMQCtl do
     end
   end
 
-  defp argument_validation_error_output(err_detail, command, unparsed_command, options) do
+  def argument_validation_error_output(err_detail, command, unparsed_command, options) do
     err = format_validation_error(err_detail)
     base_error = "Error (argument validation): #{err}\nArguments given:\n\t#{unparsed_command |> Enum.join(" ")}"
     validation_error_output(err_detail, base_error, command, options)
   end
 
-  defp environment_validation_error_output(err_detail, command, unparsed_command, options) do
+  def environment_validation_error_output(err_detail, command, unparsed_command, options) do
     err = format_validation_error(err_detail)
     base_error = "Error: #{err}\nArguments given:\n\t#{unparsed_command |> Enum.join(" ")}"
     validation_error_output(err_detail, base_error, command, options)
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/disable_plugins_command_test.exs b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/disable_plugins_command_test.exs
index 600bfcc811..32f4593c04 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/disable_plugins_command_test.exs
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/disable_plugins_command_test.exs
@@ -78,12 +78,12 @@ defmodule DisablePluginsCommandTest do
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: not specifying an enabled_plugins_file is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.delete(context[:opts], :enabled_plugins_file)) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :no_plugins_file}
+      {:validation_failure, :no_plugins_file}
   end
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: not specifying a plugins_dir is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.delete(context[:opts], :plugins_dir)) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :no_plugins_dir}
+      {:validation_failure, :no_plugins_dir}
   end
 
 
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ defmodule DisablePluginsCommandTest do
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: specifying a non-existent plugins_dir is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.merge(context[:opts], %{plugins_dir: "none"})) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :plugins_dir_does_not_exist}
+      {:validation_failure, :plugins_dir_does_not_exist}
   end
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: failure to load the rabbit application is reported as an error", context do
-    assert {:environment_validation_failure, {:unable_to_load_rabbit, _}} =
+    assert {:validation_failure, {:unable_to_load_rabbit, _}} =
       @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.delete(context[:opts], :rabbitmq_home))
   end
 
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/enable_plugins_command_test.exs b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/enable_plugins_command_test.exs
index e0fd7216a2..5654e6f92a 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/enable_plugins_command_test.exs
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/enable_plugins_command_test.exs
@@ -78,12 +78,12 @@ defmodule EnablePluginsCommandTest do
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: not specifying an enabled_plugins_file is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.delete(context[:opts], :enabled_plugins_file)) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :no_plugins_file}
+      {:validation_failure, :no_plugins_file}
   end
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: not specifying a plugins_dir is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.delete(context[:opts], :plugins_dir)) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :no_plugins_dir}
+      {:validation_failure, :no_plugins_dir}
   end
 
 
@@ -93,11 +93,11 @@ defmodule EnablePluginsCommandTest do
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: specifying a non-existent plugins_dir is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.merge(context[:opts], %{plugins_dir: "none"})) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :plugins_dir_does_not_exist}
+      {:validation_failure, :plugins_dir_does_not_exist}
   end
 
   test "validate: failure to load the rabbit application is reported as an error", context do
-    assert {:environment_validation_failure, {:unable_to_load_rabbit, _}} =
+    assert {:validation_failure, {:unable_to_load_rabbit, _}} =
       @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.delete(context[:opts], :rabbitmq_home))
   end
 
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/list_plugins_command_test.exs b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/list_plugins_command_test.exs
index c1c9d52ce9..3cdefb01c8 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/list_plugins_command_test.exs
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/list_plugins_command_test.exs
@@ -82,12 +82,12 @@ defmodule ListPluginsCommandTest do
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: not specifying enabled_plugins_file is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.delete(context[:opts], :enabled_plugins_file)) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :no_plugins_file}
+      {:validation_failure, :no_plugins_file}
   end
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: not specifying plugins_dir is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.delete(context[:opts], :plugins_dir)) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :no_plugins_dir}
+      {:validation_failure, :no_plugins_dir}
   end
 
 
@@ -97,11 +97,11 @@ defmodule ListPluginsCommandTest do
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: specifying non existent plugins_dir is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.merge(context[:opts], %{plugins_dir: "none"})) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :plugins_dir_does_not_exist}
+      {:validation_failure, :plugins_dir_does_not_exist}
   end
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: failure to load rabbit application is reported as an error", context do
-    assert {:environment_validation_failure, {:unable_to_load_rabbit, _}} =
+    assert {:validation_failure, {:unable_to_load_rabbit, _}} =
       @command.validate_execution_environment(["a"], Map.delete(context[:opts], :rabbitmq_home))
   end
 
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/set_plugins_command_test.exs b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/set_plugins_command_test.exs
index 534452401b..7bf2fb67aa 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/set_plugins_command_test.exs
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/plugins/set_plugins_command_test.exs
@@ -71,12 +71,12 @@ defmodule SetPluginsCommandTest do
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: not specifying enabled_plugins_file is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment([], Map.delete(context[:opts], :enabled_plugins_file)) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :no_plugins_file}
+      {:validation_failure, :no_plugins_file}
   end
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: not specifying plugins_dir is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment([], Map.delete(context[:opts], :plugins_dir)) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :no_plugins_dir}
+      {:validation_failure, :no_plugins_dir}
   end
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: specifying a non-existent enabled_plugins_file is fine", context do
@@ -86,11 +86,11 @@ defmodule SetPluginsCommandTest do
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: specifying non existent plugins_dir is reported as an error", context do
     assert @command.validate_execution_environment([], Map.merge(context[:opts], %{plugins_dir: "none"})) ==
-      {:environment_validation_failure, :plugins_dir_does_not_exist}
+      {:validation_failure, :plugins_dir_does_not_exist}
   end
 
   test "validate_execution_environment: failure to load rabbit application is reported as an error", context do
-    assert {:environment_validation_failure, {:unable_to_load_rabbit, _}} =
+    assert {:validation_failure, {:unable_to_load_rabbit, _}} =
       @command.validate_execution_environment([], Map.delete(context[:opts], :rabbitmq_home))
   end
 
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/rabbitmqctl_test.exs b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/rabbitmqctl_test.exs
index 769ce90b2c..2cdf37ae19 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/rabbitmqctl_test.exs
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/test/rabbitmqctl_test.exs
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQCtlTest do
     {:error, ^exit_code, message} =
         RabbitMQCtl.handle_command_output(
           {:error, {:badrpc, :nodedown}},
-          :no_command, %{node: node}, [],
+          :no_command, %{node: node},
           fn(output, _, _) -> output end)
 
     assert message =~ ~r/Error: unable to perform an operation on node/
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQCtlTest do
     {:error, ^exit_code, message} =
         RabbitMQCtl.handle_command_output(
           {:error, {:badrpc, :nodedown}},
-          :no_command, %{node: localnode}, [],
+          :no_command, %{node: localnode},
           fn(output, _, _) -> output end)
     assert message =~ ~r/DIAGNOSTICS/
     assert message =~ ~r/attempted to contact/
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQCtlTest do
     {:error, ^exit_code, ^err_msg} =
       RabbitMQCtl.handle_command_output(
           {:error, {:badrpc, :timeout}},
-          ExampleCommand,%{timeout: timeout, node: nodename}, ["example"],
+          ExampleCommand, %{timeout: timeout, node: nodename},
           fn(output, _, _) -> output end)
   end
 
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQCtlTest do
     {:error, ^exit_code, "Error:\nerror message"} =
       RabbitMQCtl.handle_command_output(
         {:error, "error message"},
-        :no_command, %{}, [],
+        :no_command, %{},
         fn(output, _, _) -> output end)
   end
 
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQCtlTest do
     {:error, ^exit_code, "Error:\n" <> ^inspected} =
       RabbitMQCtl.handle_command_output(
         {:error, error},
-        :no_command, %{}, [],
+        :no_command, %{},
         fn(output, _, _) -> output end)
   end
 
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQCtlTest do
     {:error, ^exit_code, "Error:\nerror_message"} =
       RabbitMQCtl.handle_command_output(
         {:error, :error_message},
-        :no_command, %{}, [],
+        :no_command, %{},
         fn(output, _, _) -> output end)
   end