diff --git a/internal/runners/shell/shell.go b/internal/runners/shell/shell.go
index 6a2e26c2d1..23617f3471 100644
--- a/internal/runners/shell/shell.go
+++ b/internal/runners/shell/shell.go
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 package shell
 
 import (
+	"os"
+
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/analytics"
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/config"
+	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/constants"
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/errs"
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/locale"
 	"github.com/ActiveState/cli/internal/logging"
@@ -84,7 +87,9 @@ func (u *Shell) Run(params *Params) error {
 	}
 
 	if process.IsActivated(u.config) {
-		return locale.NewInputError("err_shell_already_active", "", proj.NamespaceString(), proj.Dir())
+		activatedProjectNamespace := os.Getenv(constants.ActivatedStateNamespaceEnvVarName)
+		activatedProjectDir := os.Getenv(constants.ActivatedStateEnvVarName)
+		return locale.NewInputError("err_shell_already_active", "", activatedProjectNamespace, activatedProjectDir)
 	}
 
 	u.out.Notice(locale.Tl("shell_project_statement", "",