diff --git a/django/core/management/__init__.py b/django/core/management/__init__.py
index b6a7d53a0c..fdbf5c26eb 100644
--- a/django/core/management/__init__.py
+++ b/django/core/management/__init__.py
@@ -262,10 +262,10 @@ class ManagementUtility(object):
             # Output an extra note if settings are not properly configured
             try:
                 settings.INSTALLED_APPS
-            except ImproperlyConfigured as e:
+            except ImproperlyConfigured as err:
                 usage.append(style.NOTICE(
                     "Note that only Django core commands are listed as settings "
-                    "are not properly configured (error: %s)." % e))
+                    "are not properly configured (error: %s)." % err))
 
         return '\n'.join(usage)
 
@@ -280,6 +280,8 @@ class ManagementUtility(object):
         try:
             app_name = commands[subcommand]
         except KeyError:
+            # This might trigger ImproperlyConfigured (masked in get_commands)
+            settings.INSTALLED_APPS
             sys.stderr.write("Unknown command: %r\nType '%s help' for usage.\n" %
                 (subcommand, self.prog_name))
             sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py b/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py
index 4c3ee36b66..4f41e876bc 100644
--- a/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py
+++ b/tests/admin_scripts/tests.py
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ class DjangoAdminDefaultSettings(AdminScriptTestCase):
         args = ['noargs_command']
         out, err = self.run_django_admin(args)
         self.assertNoOutput(out)
-        self.assertOutput(err, "Unknown command: 'noargs_command'")
+        self.assertOutput(err, "settings are not configured")
 
     def test_custom_command_with_settings(self):
         "default: django-admin can execute user commands if settings are provided as argument"
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ class DjangoAdminFullPathDefaultSettings(AdminScriptTestCase):
         args = ['noargs_command']
         out, err = self.run_django_admin(args)
         self.assertNoOutput(out)
-        self.assertOutput(err, "Unknown command: 'noargs_command'")
+        self.assertOutput(err, "settings are not configured")
 
     def test_custom_command_with_settings(self):
         "fulldefault: django-admin can execute user commands if settings are provided as argument"
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ class DjangoAdminMinimalSettings(AdminScriptTestCase):
         args = ['noargs_command']
         out, err = self.run_django_admin(args)
         self.assertNoOutput(out)
-        self.assertOutput(err, "Unknown command: 'noargs_command'")
+        self.assertOutput(err, "settings are not configured")
 
     def test_custom_command_with_settings(self):
         "minimal: django-admin can't execute user commands, even if settings are provided as argument"
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ class DjangoAdminAlternateSettings(AdminScriptTestCase):
         args = ['noargs_command']
         out, err = self.run_django_admin(args)
         self.assertNoOutput(out)
-        self.assertOutput(err, "Unknown command: 'noargs_command'")
+        self.assertOutput(err, "settings are not configured")
 
     def test_custom_command_with_settings(self):
         "alternate: django-admin can execute user commands if settings are provided as argument"
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ class DjangoAdminMultipleSettings(AdminScriptTestCase):
         args = ['noargs_command']
         out, err = self.run_django_admin(args)
         self.assertNoOutput(out)
-        self.assertOutput(err, "Unknown command: 'noargs_command'")
+        self.assertOutput(err, "settings are not configured")
 
     def test_custom_command_with_settings(self):
         "alternate: django-admin can execute user commands if settings are provided as argument"
@@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ class DjangoAdminSettingsDirectory(AdminScriptTestCase):
         args = ['noargs_command']
         out, err = self.run_django_admin(args)
         self.assertNoOutput(out)
-        self.assertOutput(err, "Unknown command: 'noargs_command'")
+        self.assertOutput(err, "settings are not configured")
 
     def test_builtin_with_settings(self):
         "directory: django-admin builtin commands succeed if settings are provided as argument"