diff --git a/archivebox/config.py b/archivebox/config.py
index 62794caf..9485a37e 100644
--- a/archivebox/config.py
+++ b/archivebox/config.py
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ DYNAMIC_CONFIG_SCHEMA: ConfigDefaultDict = {
     'SAVE_MEDIA':               {'default': lambda c: c['USE_YOUTUBEDL'] and c['SAVE_MEDIA']},
     'YOUTUBEDL_ARGS':           {'default': lambda c: c['YOUTUBEDL_ARGS'] or []},
 
-    'USE_CHROME':               {'default': lambda c: c['USE_CHROME'] and (c['SAVE_PDF'] or c['SAVE_SCREENSHOT'] or c['SAVE_DOM'] or c['SAVE_SINGLEFILE'])},
-    'CHROME_BINARY':            {'default': lambda c: c['CHROME_BINARY'] if c['CHROME_BINARY'] else find_chrome_binary()},
+    'CHROME_BINARY':            {'default': lambda c: c['CHROME_BINARY'] or find_chrome_binary()},
+    'USE_CHROME':               {'default': lambda c: c['USE_CHROME'] and c['CHROME_BINARY'] and (c['SAVE_PDF'] or c['SAVE_SCREENSHOT'] or c['SAVE_DOM'] or c['SAVE_SINGLEFILE'])},
     'CHROME_VERSION':           {'default': lambda c: bin_version(c['CHROME_BINARY']) if c['USE_CHROME'] else None},
     
     'SAVE_PDF':                 {'default': lambda c: c['USE_CHROME'] and c['SAVE_PDF']},
diff --git a/archivebox/util.py b/archivebox/util.py
index 2f1bb248..a6926ba4 100644
--- a/archivebox/util.py
+++ b/archivebox/util.py
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ def chrome_args(**options) -> List[str]:
 
     options = {**CHROME_OPTIONS, **options}
 
+    if not options['CHROME_BINARY']:
+        raise Exception('Could not find any CHROME_BINARY installed on your system')
+
     cmd_args = [options['CHROME_BINARY']]
 
     if options['CHROME_HEADLESS']: