diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index c1cf72471..3b5531bde 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 ver 0.20 (not yet released)
+* protocol
+  - "commands" returns playlist commands only if playlist_directory configured
 * output
   - pulse: set channel map to WAVE-EX
 
diff --git a/src/command/AllCommands.cxx b/src/command/AllCommands.cxx
index 6a4b18198..be3a343a5 100644
--- a/src/command/AllCommands.cxx
+++ b/src/command/AllCommands.cxx
@@ -210,6 +210,16 @@ command_available(gcc_unused const Partition &partition,
 		return neighbor_commands_available(partition.instance);
 #endif
 
+	if (strcmp(cmd->cmd, "save") == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(cmd->cmd, "rm") == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(cmd->cmd, "rename") == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(cmd->cmd, "playlistdelete") == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(cmd->cmd, "playlistmove") == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(cmd->cmd, "playlistclear") == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(cmd->cmd, "playlistadd") == 0 ||
+	    strcmp(cmd->cmd, "listplaylists") == 0)
+		return playlist_commands_available();
+
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/command/PlaylistCommands.cxx b/src/command/PlaylistCommands.cxx
index c2b18064c..593eab865 100644
--- a/src/command/PlaylistCommands.cxx
+++ b/src/command/PlaylistCommands.cxx
@@ -35,9 +35,17 @@
 #include "protocol/ArgParser.hxx"
 #include "protocol/Result.hxx"
 #include "ls.hxx"
+#include "Mapper.hxx"
+#include "fs/AllocatedPath.hxx"
 #include "util/UriUtil.hxx"
 #include "util/Error.hxx"
 
+bool
+playlist_commands_available()
+{
+	return !map_spl_path().IsNull();
+}
+
 static void
 print_spl_list(Client &client, const PlaylistVector &list)
 {
diff --git a/src/command/PlaylistCommands.hxx b/src/command/PlaylistCommands.hxx
index fba4e1318..6dc589c8b 100644
--- a/src/command/PlaylistCommands.hxx
+++ b/src/command/PlaylistCommands.hxx
@@ -21,9 +21,14 @@
 #define MPD_PLAYLIST_COMMANDS_HXX
 
 #include "CommandResult.hxx"
+#include "Compiler.h"
 
 class Client;
 
+gcc_const
+bool
+playlist_commands_available();
+
 CommandResult
 handle_save(Client &client, unsigned argc, char *argv[]);