diff --git a/cli/app/cmd.go b/cli/app/cmd.go
index 32fc0545..7f57dcb8 100644
--- a/cli/app/cmd.go
+++ b/cli/app/cmd.go
@@ -67,12 +67,8 @@ Example:
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 		app := internal.ValidateApp(c)
 
-		if len(c.Args()) <= 2 && !localCmd {
-			internal.ShowSubcommandHelpAndError(c, errors.New("missing <service>/<command>? did you mean to pass --local?"))
-		}
-
-		if len(c.Args()) > 2 && localCmd {
-			internal.ShowSubcommandHelpAndError(c, errors.New("cannot specify <service> and --local together"))
+		if localCmd && remoteUser != "" {
+			internal.ShowSubcommandHelpAndError(c, errors.New("cannot use --local & <user> together"))
 		}
 
 		abraSh := path.Join(config.RECIPES_DIR, app.Recipe, "abra.sh")