diff --git a/Pmodules/modulecmd.bash.in b/Pmodules/modulecmd.bash.in
index 70b2079..020f225 100644
--- a/Pmodules/modulecmd.bash.in
+++ b/Pmodules/modulecmd.bash.in
@@ -1323,7 +1323,7 @@ subcommand_use() {
 
 	use () {
                 use_overlay() {
-			if [[ -n "${_LMFILES_}" ]]; then
+			if [[ -n "${_LMFILES_}" ]] && [[ ${LOADEDMODULES} != Pmodules/* ]]; then
 				std::die 3 "%s %s: %s -- %s" \
 					 "${CMD}" "${subcommand}" \
 					 "overlays can be added as long as no modules are loaded!" \
@@ -1529,12 +1529,11 @@ subcommand_unuse() {
 
         unuse() {
                 unuse_overlay() {
-		        [[ -n "${_LMFILES_}" ]] && \
-				std::die 3 "%s %s: %s -- %s" \
+			if [[ -n "${_LMFILES_}" ]] && [[ ${LOADEDMODULES} != Pmodules/* ]]; then				std::die 3 "%s %s: %s -- %s" \
 					 "${CMD}" "${subcommand}" \
-					 "overlays can be removed as long as modules are loaded!" \
+					 "overlays can NOT be removed as long as modules are loaded!" \
 					 "${overlay}"
-
+			fi
 			overlay=${overlay%:*}  # ignore any modifier
 			overlay=${overlay%/} # remove trailing '/' if there is one
                         [[ -d "${overlay}" ]] || \