diff --git a/cmd/esxicli/main.go b/cmd/esxicli/main.go
index 128d0eed6e..930147c6a3 100644
--- a/cmd/esxicli/main.go
+++ b/cmd/esxicli/main.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func newClient(options *BaseOptions) (*esxi.SESXiClient, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Missing password")
 	}
 
-	return esxi.NewESXiClient("", "", options.Host, options.Port, options.Account, options.Password)
+	return esxi.NewESXiClient2("", "", options.Host, options.Port, options.Account, options.Password, false)
 }
 
 func main() {
diff --git a/pkg/util/esxi/host.go b/pkg/util/esxi/host.go
index 93557162bd..d13aa00d45 100644
--- a/pkg/util/esxi/host.go
+++ b/pkg/util/esxi/host.go
@@ -605,3 +605,11 @@ func (host *SHost) newLocalStorageCache() (*SDatastoreImageCache, error) {
 		host:      host,
 	}, nil
 }
+
+func (host *SHost) GetManagementServerIp() string {
+	return host.getHostSystem().Summary.ManagementServerIp
+}
+
+func (host *SHost) IsManagedByVCenter() bool {
+	return len(host.getHostSystem().Summary.ManagementServerIp) > 0
+}
diff --git a/pkg/util/esxi/manager.go b/pkg/util/esxi/manager.go
index 53ac4b7116..f404794698 100644
--- a/pkg/util/esxi/manager.go
+++ b/pkg/util/esxi/manager.go
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ type SESXiClient struct {
 }
 
 func NewESXiClient(providerId string, providerName string, host string, port int, account string, passwd string) (*SESXiClient, error) {
+	return NewESXiClient2(providerId, providerName, host, port, account, passwd, true)
+}
+
+func NewESXiClient2(providerId string, providerName string, host string, port int, account string, passwd string, managed bool) (*SESXiClient, error) {
 	cli := &SESXiClient{providerId: providerId, providerName: providerName,
 		host: host, port: port, account: account, password: passwd, context: context.Background()}
 
@@ -63,6 +67,18 @@ func NewESXiClient(providerId string, providerName string, host string, port int
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
+	if !cli.IsVCenter() {
+		err := cli.checkHostManagedByVCenter()
+		if err != nil {
+			if managed {
+				cli.disconnect()
+				return nil, err
+			} else {
+				log.Warningf("%s", err)
+			}
+		}
+	}
 	return cli, nil
 }
 
@@ -261,6 +277,17 @@ func (cli *SESXiClient) getPrivateId(idStr string) string {
 	return idStr
 }
 
+func (cli *SESXiClient) checkHostManagedByVCenter() error {
+	host, err := cli.FindHostByIp(cli.host)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if host.IsManagedByVCenter() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("ESXi host is managed by vcenter %s, please connect to vcenter instead for full management functions!", host.GetManagementServerIp())
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (cli *SESXiClient) FindHostByIp(hostIp string) (*SHost, error) {
 	searchIndex := object.NewSearchIndex(cli.client.Client)