diff --git a/lib/cmd.js b/lib/cmd.js
index ab681ab9..2f09eb5d 100644
--- a/lib/cmd.js
+++ b/lib/cmd.js
@@ -203,6 +203,10 @@ class Cmd {
       .description(__('Upload your dapp to a decentralized storage') + '.')
       .action(function (env, _options) {
         i18n.setOrDetectLocale(_options.locale);
+        if (env === "ipfs" || env === "swarm") {
+          console.warn(("did you mean " + "embark upload".bold + " ?").underline);
+          console.warn("In embark 3.1 forwards, the correct command is embark upload <environment> and the provider is configured in config/storage.js");
+        }
         _options.env = env || 'development';
         _options.logFile = _options.logfile; // fix casing
         _options.logLevel = _options.loglevel; // fix casing