diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/environment/environment.py b/lib/spack/spack/environment/environment.py
index 37ef6548881..7877a847645 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/environment/environment.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/environment/environment.py
@@ -3015,7 +3015,7 @@ def included_config_scopes(self) -> List[spack.config.ConfigScope]:
         if missing:
             msg = "Detected {0} missing include path(s):".format(len(missing))
             msg += "\n   {0}".format("\n   ".join(missing))
-            tty.warn(msg)
+            raise spack.config.ConfigFileError(msg)
 
         return scopes