diff --git a/cmd/sops/main.go b/cmd/sops/main.go
index f24606f1c..cfa968408 100644
--- a/cmd/sops/main.go
+++ b/cmd/sops/main.go
@@ -241,8 +241,8 @@ func main() {
 
 				var env []string
 				for _, item := range tree.Branches[0] {
-					if dotenv.IsComplexValue(item.Value) {
-						return cli.NewExitError(fmt.Errorf("cannot use complex value in environment: %s", item.Value), codes.ErrorGeneric)
+					if stores.IsComplexValue(item.Value) {
+						return cli.NewExitError(fmt.Errorf("cannot use complex value in environment; offending key %s", item.Key), codes.ErrorGeneric)
 					}
 					if _, ok := item.Key.(sops.Comment); ok {
 						continue
diff --git a/stores/dotenv/store.go b/stores/dotenv/store.go
index d42db65c0..e0fd2c69b 100644
--- a/stores/dotenv/store.go
+++ b/stores/dotenv/store.go
@@ -138,8 +138,8 @@ func (store *Store) EmitEncryptedFile(in sops.Tree) ([]byte, error) {
 func (store *Store) EmitPlainFile(in sops.TreeBranches) ([]byte, error) {
 	buffer := bytes.Buffer{}
 	for _, item := range in[0] {
-		if IsComplexValue(item.Value) {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot use complex value in dotenv file: %s", item.Value)
+		if stores.IsComplexValue(item.Value) {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot use complex value in dotenv file; offending key %s", item.Key)
 		}
 		var line string
 		if comment, ok := item.Key.(sops.Comment); ok {
@@ -176,14 +176,9 @@ func (store *Store) EmitExample() []byte {
 	return bytes
 }
 
+// Deprecated: use stores.IsComplexValue() instead!
 func IsComplexValue(v interface{}) bool {
-	switch v.(type) {
-	case []interface{}:
-		return true
-	case sops.TreeBranch:
-		return true
-	}
-	return false
+	return stores.IsComplexValue(v)
 }
 
 // HasSopsTopLevelKey checks whether a top-level "sops" key exists.
diff --git a/stores/stores.go b/stores/stores.go
index 4cd74b2f3..4d7f3788c 100644
--- a/stores/stores.go
+++ b/stores/stores.go
@@ -535,6 +535,17 @@ func HasSopsTopLevelKey(branch sops.TreeBranch) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+// IsComplexValue returns true if the given value is an array or dictionary/hash.
+func IsComplexValue(v interface{}) bool {
+	switch v.(type) {
+	case []interface{}:
+		return true
+	case sops.TreeBranch:
+		return true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 // ValToString converts a simple value to a string.
 // It does not handle complex values (arrays and mappings).
 func ValToString(v interface{}) string {