diff --git a/plugins/search_sphinx/init.php b/plugins/search_sphinx/init.php
index 557b2682cad0bb56dfc87218a7ada6183bbaa23e..065af64f2ae08ac68d5e1f9100db023dc4ad3199 100644
--- a/plugins/search_sphinx/init.php
+++ b/plugins/search_sphinx/init.php
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ class Search_Sphinx extends Plugin {
 	function init($host) {
 		$host->add_hook($host::HOOK_SEARCH, $this);
 
-		if (class_exists("SphinxClient")) {
+		// idk if that would work but checking for the class being loaded is somehow not enough
+		if (class_exists("SphinxClient") && !defined('SEARCHD_COMMAND_SEARCH')) {
 			user_error("Your PHP has a separate systemwide Sphinx client installed which conflicts with the client library used by tt-rss. Either remove the system library or disable Sphinx support.");
 		}