diff --git a/tools/activate.py b/tools/activate.py
index 697b003029..42a16cfb24 100755
--- a/tools/activate.py
+++ b/tools/activate.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ except ImportError as e:
 
 # Get ESP-IDF venv python path
 idf_tools.g.idf_path = idf_path
-os.environ['IDF_PYTHON_ENV_PATH'] = ''  # let idf_tools get the pyenv path
 idf_tools.g.idf_tools_path = os.environ.get('IDF_TOOLS_PATH') or os.path.expanduser(idf_tools.IDF_TOOLS_PATH_DEFAULT)
 idf_python_env_path, idf_python_export_path, virtualenv_python, idf_version = idf_tools.get_python_env_path()
 
@@ -39,7 +38,9 @@ os.environ['IDF_PYTHON_ENV_PATH'] = idf_python_env_path
 os.environ['ESP_IDF_VERSION'] = idf_version
 
 if not os.path.exists(virtualenv_python):
-    die(f'ESP-IDF Python virtual environment not found. Please run the install script to set it up before proceeding.')
+    die((f'ESP-IDF Python virtual environment "{virtualenv_python}" '
+         f'not found. Please run the install script to set it up before '
+         f'proceeding.'))
 
 try:
     run([virtualenv_python, os.path.join(idf_path, 'tools', 'export_utils', 'activate_venv.py')] + sys.argv[1:], check=True)