diff --git a/compiler/crates/relay-bin/src/main.rs b/compiler/crates/relay-bin/src/main.rs
index 2251b47256e74..09669fc2b353c 100644
--- a/compiler/crates/relay-bin/src/main.rs
+++ b/compiler/crates/relay-bin/src/main.rs
@@ -9,10 +9,9 @@ use clap::{ArgEnum, Parser};
 use common::ConsoleLogger;
 use log::{error, info};
 use relay_compiler::{
-    build_project::artifact_writer::ArtifactValidationWriter,
-    compiler::Compiler,
-    config::{Config, SingleProjectConfigFile},
-    FileSourceKind, LocalPersister, OperationPersister, PersistConfig, RemotePersister,
+    build_project::artifact_writer::ArtifactValidationWriter, compiler::Compiler, config::Config,
+    errors::Error, FileSourceKind, LocalPersister, OperationPersister, PersistConfig,
+    RemotePersister,
 };
 use simplelog::{
     ColorChoice, ConfigBuilder as SimpleLogConfigBuilder, LevelFilter, TermLogger, TerminalMode,
@@ -26,11 +25,11 @@ use std::{
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
 #[clap(
-    name = "Relay Compiler",
-    version = option_env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION").unwrap_or("unknown"),
-    about = "Compiles Relay files and writes generated files.",
-    rename_all = "camel_case"
-)]
+     name = "Relay Compiler",
+     version = option_env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION").unwrap_or("unknown"),
+     about = "Compiles Relay files and writes generated files.",
+     rename_all = "camel_case"
+ )]
 struct Opt {
     /// Compile and watch for changes
     #[clap(long, short)]
@@ -71,29 +70,35 @@ enum OutputKind {
 pub struct CliConfig {
     /// Path for the directory where to search for source code
     #[clap(long)]
-    pub src: Option<PathBuf>,
+    pub src: Option<String>,
     /// Path to schema file
     #[clap(long)]
-    pub schema: Option<PathBuf>,
+    pub schema: Option<String>,
     /// Path to a directory, where the compiler should write artifacts
     #[clap(long)]
-    pub artifact_directory: Option<PathBuf>,
+    pub artifact_directory: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl CliConfig {
-    pub fn is_defined(&self) -> bool {
+    fn is_defined(&self) -> bool {
         self.src.is_some() || self.schema.is_some() || self.artifact_directory.is_some()
     }
-}
 
-impl From<CliConfig> for SingleProjectConfigFile {
-    fn from(cli_config: CliConfig) -> Self {
-        SingleProjectConfigFile {
-            schema: cli_config.schema.expect("schema is required."),
-            artifact_directory: cli_config.artifact_directory,
-            src: cli_config.src.unwrap_or_else(|| PathBuf::from("./")),
-            ..Default::default()
-        }
+    fn get_config_string(self) -> String {
+        let src = self.src.unwrap_or_else(|| "./src".into());
+        let schema = self.schema.unwrap_or_else(|| "./path-to-schema".into());
+        let artifact_directory = self.artifact_directory.map_or("".to_string(), |a| {
+            format!("\n  \"artifactDirectory\": \"{}\",", a)
+        });
+        format!(
+            r#"
+ {{
+   "src": "{}",
+   "schema": "{}",{}
+   "language": "javascript"
+ }}"#,
+            src, schema, artifact_directory
+        )
     }
 }
 
@@ -126,7 +131,12 @@ async fn main() {
     let config_result = if let Some(config_path) = opt.config {
         Config::load(config_path)
     } else if opt.cli_config.is_defined() {
-        Ok(Config::from(SingleProjectConfigFile::from(opt.cli_config)))
+        Err(Error::ConfigError {
+            details: format!(
+                "\nPassing Relay compiler configuration is not supported. Please add `relay.config.json` file,\nor \"relay\" section to your `package.json` file.\n\nCompiler configuration JSON:{}",
+                opt.cli_config.get_config_string(),
+            ),
+        })
     } else {
         Config::search(&current_dir().expect("Unable to get current working directory."))
     };
diff --git a/packages/relay-compiler/README.md b/packages/relay-compiler/README.md
index d937ff9078939..02d61eb84fbaf 100644
--- a/packages/relay-compiler/README.md
+++ b/packages/relay-compiler/README.md
@@ -114,14 +114,8 @@ file sources, and "listen" to the file changes in the "watch" mode. If
   of the exposed types are unified with `<module>$data` and `<module>$variables`
   suffixes.
 
-### CLI configuration
+### CLI Arguments
 
-We also support a limited set of CLI arguments that should cover the most cases
-when you need to run the compiler.
-
-- `--src` Relative path to the source code.
-- `--schema` Relative path to schema file.
-- `--artifactDirectory` Compiler output directory.
 - `--repersist` Run the persister even if the query has not changed.
 - `--watch` Run compiler in `watch` mode. Requires
   [`watchman`](https://facebook.github.io/watchman/) to be installed.