diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-test.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-test.yaml
index 6094f8f906..45901b8877 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-test.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-test.yaml
@@ -4003,13 +4003,13 @@ jobs:
           validate_configmap "password" ""
           validate_configmap "sequence" "0"
 
-          ./bin/kots set config "$APP_SLUG" --key=password --value=example-password --namespace "$APP_SLUG" --deploy
+          ./bin/kots set config "$APP_SLUG" --key=password --value=example-password --namespace "$APP_SLUG" # don't deploy
           sleep 5
 
           validate_configmap "username" ""
-          validate_configmap "password" "example-password"
+          validate_configmap "password" ""
           validate_configmap "email" ""
-          validate_configmap "sequence" "1"
+          validate_configmap "sequence" "0"
 
           ./bin/kots set config "$APP_SLUG" --key=username --value=example-username --namespace "$APP_SLUG" --deploy
           sleep 5
@@ -4091,6 +4091,18 @@ jobs:
           validate_configmap "email" ""
           validate_configmap "sequence" "5"
 
+          # should not be able to use --current and --sequence together
+
+          if ./bin/kots get config "$APP_SLUG" --namespace "$APP_SLUG" --decrypt --sequence=0 --current; then
+            echo "expected error when using --current and --sequence together in get config"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          if ./bin/kots set config "$APP_SLUG" --key=username --value=updated-username --namespace "$APP_SLUG" --sequence=0 --current --deploy; then
+            echo "expected error when using --current and --sequence together in set config"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
       - name: Generate support bundle on failure
         if: failure()
         uses: ./.github/actions/generate-support-bundle
diff --git a/cmd/kots/cli/get-config.go b/cmd/kots/cli/get-config.go
index 909a898827..72bc5f9334 100644
--- a/cmd/kots/cli/get-config.go
+++ b/cmd/kots/cli/get-config.go
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ func getConfigCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	decrypt := v.GetBool("decrypt")
 	current := v.GetBool("current")
 
+	if current && appSequence != -1 {
+		return errors.New("cannot use --current and --sequence together")
+	}
+
 	localPort, errChan, err := k8sutil.PortForward(0, 3000, namespace, getPodName, false, stopCh, log)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.FinishSpinnerWithError()
@@ -122,12 +126,15 @@ func getConfigCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return errors.Errorf("app %s not found", appSlug)
 	}
 
-	if appSequence == -1 {
-		if current && foundApp.Downstream.CurrentVersion != nil {
-			appSequence = foundApp.Downstream.CurrentVersion.ParentSequence // this is the sequence of the currently deployed version
-		} else {
-			appSequence = foundApp.CurrentSequence // this is the sequence of the latest available version
+	if current {
+		if foundApp.Downstream.CurrentVersion == nil {
+			return errors.Errorf("no deployed version found for app %s", appSlug)
 		}
+		appSequence = foundApp.Downstream.CurrentVersion.ParentSequence // this is the sequence of the currently deployed version
+	}
+
+	if appSequence == -1 {
+		appSequence = foundApp.CurrentSequence // this is the sequence of the latest available version
 	}
 
 	getConfigURL := fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:%d/api/v1/app/%s/config/%d", localPort, appSlug, appSequence)
diff --git a/cmd/kots/cli/set-config.go b/cmd/kots/cli/set-config.go
index 48d7c90624..d555ad48c0 100644
--- a/cmd/kots/cli/set-config.go
+++ b/cmd/kots/cli/set-config.go
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ func SetConfigCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				log.Info("--skip-preflights will be ignored because --deploy is not set")
 			}
 
+			if v.GetBool("current") && v.GetInt64("sequence") != -1 {
+				return errors.New("cannot use --current and --sequence together")
+			}
+
 			configValues, err := getConfigValuesFromArgs(v, args)
 			if err != nil {
 				return errors.Wrap(err, "failed to create config values from arguments")
diff --git a/pkg/handlers/config.go b/pkg/handlers/config.go
index 13327e6eeb..deb429784a 100644
--- a/pkg/handlers/config.go
+++ b/pkg/handlers/config.go
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ func (h *Handler) SetAppConfigValues(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	baseSequence := setAppConfigValuesRequest.Sequence
 
-	if baseSequence == -1 && setAppConfigValuesRequest.Current {
+	if setAppConfigValuesRequest.Current {
 		// use the currently deployed version as the base
 		downstreams, err := store.GetStore().ListDownstreamsForApp(foundApp.ID)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -1064,11 +1064,14 @@ func (h *Handler) SetAppConfigValues(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 			return
 		}
 
-		if versions.CurrentVersion != nil {
-			baseSequence = versions.CurrentVersion.Sequence
-		} else {
-			logger.Warnf("no deployed version found for app %s", foundApp.Slug)
+		if versions.CurrentVersion == nil {
+			setAppConfigValuesResponse.Error = fmt.Sprintf("no deployed version found for app %s", foundApp.Slug)
+			logger.Error(errors.New(setAppConfigValuesResponse.Error))
+			JSON(w, http.StatusBadRequest, setAppConfigValuesResponse)
+			return
 		}
+
+		baseSequence = versions.CurrentVersion.Sequence
 	}
 
 	if baseSequence == -1 {