diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/plugins.py b/lib/ansible/utils/plugins.py
index 9349f133c4e..816bf19c695 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/plugins.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/plugins.py
@@ -126,15 +126,16 @@ class PluginLoader(object):
                     ret.append(fullpath)
 
         # look in any configured plugin paths, allow one level deep for subcategories
-        configured_paths = self.config.split(os.pathsep)
-        for path in configured_paths:
-            path = os.path.realpath(os.path.expanduser(path))
-            contents = glob.glob("%s/*" % path)
-            for c in contents:
-                if os.path.isdir(c) and c not in ret:
-                    ret.append(c)
-            if path not in ret:
-                ret.append(path)
+        if self.config is not None:
+            configured_paths = self.config.split(os.pathsep)
+            for path in configured_paths:
+                path = os.path.realpath(os.path.expanduser(path))
+                contents = glob.glob("%s/*" % path)
+                for c in contents:
+                    if os.path.isdir(c) and c not in ret:
+                        ret.append(c)
+                if path not in ret:
+                    ret.append(path)
 
         # look for any plugins installed in the package subtree
         ret.extend(self._get_package_paths())