diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index 81e123e..092377d 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ static bool debug_wait_connect = false;
 static int debug_port=5858;
 static int max_stack_size = 0;
 static bool using_domains = false;
+static bool using_legacy_cipher_list = false;
+static bool overriding_cipher_list = false;

 // used by C++ modules as well
 bool no_deprecation = false;
@@ -2588,7 +2590,6 @@ static void PrintHelp() {
 // Parse node command line arguments.
 static void ParseArgs(int argc, char **argv) {
   int i;
-  bool using_legacy_cipher_list = false;

   // TODO use parse opts
   for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
@@ -2660,15 +2661,24 @@ static void ParseArgs(int argc, char **argv) {
     } else if (strncmp(arg, "--cipher-list=", 14) == 0) {
       if (!using_legacy_cipher_list) {
         DEFAULT_CIPHER_LIST = arg + 14;
+        overriding_cipher_list = true;
+      } else {
+        fprintf(stderr, "--cipher-list cannot be used with --enable-legacy-cipher-list\n");
+        exit(9);
       }
       argv[i] = const_cast<char*>("");
     } else if (strncmp(arg, "--enable-legacy-cipher-list=", 28) == 0) {
-      const char * legacy_list = legacy_cipher_list(arg+28);
-      if (legacy_list != NULL) {
-        using_legacy_cipher_list = true;
-        DEFAULT_CIPHER_LIST = legacy_list;
+      if (!overriding_cipher_list) {
+        const char * legacy_list = legacy_cipher_list(arg+28);
+        if (legacy_list != NULL) {
+          using_legacy_cipher_list = true;
+          DEFAULT_CIPHER_LIST = legacy_list;
+        } else {
+          fprintf(stderr, "Error: An unknown legacy cipher list was specified\n");
+          exit(9);
+        }
       } else {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Error: An unknown legacy cipher list was specified\n");
+        fprintf(stderr, "--enable-legacy-cipher-list cannot be used with --cipher-list\n");
         exit(9);
       }
       argv[i] = const_cast<char*>("");
@@ -2968,19 +2978,31 @@ char** Init(int argc, char *argv[]) {

   const char * cipher_list = getenv("NODE_CIPHER_LIST");
   if (cipher_list != NULL) {
-    DEFAULT_CIPHER_LIST = cipher_list;
+    if (!using_legacy_cipher_list && !overriding_cipher_list) {
+      overriding_cipher_list = true;
+      DEFAULT_CIPHER_LIST = cipher_list;
+    } else {
+      fprintf(stderr, "NODE_CIPHER_LIST cannot be set when other cipher lists options are used\n");
+      exit(9);
+    }
   }
   // Allow the NODE_LEGACY_CIPHER_LIST envar to override the other
   // cipher list options. NODE_LEGACY_CIPHER_LIST=v0.10.38 will use
   // the cipher list from v0.10.38
   const char * leg_cipher_id = getenv("NODE_LEGACY_CIPHER_LIST");
   if (leg_cipher_id != NULL) {
-    const char * leg_cipher_list =
-      legacy_cipher_list(leg_cipher_id);
-    if (leg_cipher_list != NULL) {
-      DEFAULT_CIPHER_LIST = leg_cipher_list;
+    if (!overriding_cipher_list && !using_legacy_cipher_list) {
+      using_legacy_cipher_list = true;
+      const char * leg_cipher_list =
+        legacy_cipher_list(leg_cipher_id);
+      if (leg_cipher_list != NULL) {
+        DEFAULT_CIPHER_LIST = leg_cipher_list;
+      } else {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Error: An unknown legacy cipher list was specified\n");
+        exit(9);
+      }
     } else {
-      fprintf(stderr, "Error: An unknown legacy cipher list was specified\n");
+      fprintf(stderr, "NODE_LEGACY_CIPHER_LIST cannot be set when other cipher lists options are used\n");
       exit(9);
     }
   }