diff --git a/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/move_leader_command.go b/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/move_leader_command.go
index 1aee99b24445..a07e095b5e1a 100644
--- a/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/move_leader_command.go
+++ b/etcdctl/ctlv3/command/move_leader_command.go
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ func transferLeadershipCommandFunc(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		ExitWithError(ExitBadArgs, err)
 	}
 
-	c := mustClientFromCmd(cmd)
+	cfg := clientConfigFromCmd(cmd)
+	c := cfg.mustClient()
 	eps := c.Endpoints()
 	c.Close()
 
@@ -52,7 +53,6 @@ func transferLeadershipCommandFunc(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	var leaderCli *clientv3.Client
 	var leaderID uint64
 	for _, ep := range eps {
-		cfg := clientConfigFromCmd(cmd)
 		cfg.endpoints = []string{ep}
 		cli := cfg.mustClient()
 		resp, serr := cli.Status(ctx, ep)
diff --git a/tests/e2e/ctl_v3_move_leader_test.go b/tests/e2e/ctl_v3_move_leader_test.go
index 507ca4c16213..599addca6321 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/ctl_v3_move_leader_test.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/ctl_v3_move_leader_test.go
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ func TestCtlV3MoveLeaderInsecure(t *testing.T) {
 	testCtlV3MoveLeader(t, *newConfigNoTLS())
 }
 
+func TestCtlV3MoveLeaderWithEnvSecure(t *testing.T) {
+	testCtlV3MoveLeaderWithEnv(t, *newConfigTLS())
+}
+
+func TestCtlV3MoveLeaderWithEnvInsecure(t *testing.T) {
+	testCtlV3MoveLeaderWithEnv(t, *newConfigNoTLS())
+}
+
 func testCtlV3MoveLeader(t *testing.T, cfg etcdProcessClusterConfig) {
 	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
 
@@ -117,3 +125,82 @@ func testCtlV3MoveLeader(t *testing.T, cfg etcdProcessClusterConfig) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func testCtlV3MoveLeaderWithEnv(t *testing.T, cfg etcdProcessClusterConfig) {
+	defer testutil.AfterTest(t)
+
+	epc := setupEtcdctlTest(t, &cfg, true)
+	defer func() {
+		if errC := epc.Close(); errC != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("error closing etcd processes (%v)", errC)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	var tcfg *tls.Config
+	if cfg.clientTLS == clientTLS {
+		tinfo := transport.TLSInfo{
+			CertFile:      certPath,
+			KeyFile:       privateKeyPath,
+			TrustedCAFile: caPath,
+		}
+		var err error
+		tcfg, err = tinfo.ClientConfig()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	var leadIdx int
+	var leaderID uint64
+	var transferee uint64
+	for i, ep := range epc.EndpointsV3() {
+		cli, err := clientv3.New(clientv3.Config{
+			Endpoints:   []string{ep},
+			DialTimeout: 3 * time.Second,
+			TLS:         tcfg,
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Second)
+		resp, err := cli.Status(ctx, ep)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("failed to get status from endpoint %s: %v", ep, err)
+		}
+		cancel()
+		cli.Close()
+
+		if resp.Header.GetMemberId() == resp.Leader {
+			leadIdx = i
+			leaderID = resp.Leader
+		} else {
+			transferee = resp.Header.GetMemberId()
+		}
+	}
+
+	os.Setenv("ETCDCTL_API", "3")
+	defer os.Unsetenv("ETCDCTL_API")
+	cx := ctlCtx{
+		t:           t,
+		cfg:         *newConfigNoTLS(),
+		dialTimeout: 7 * time.Second,
+		epc:         epc,
+		envMap:      map[string]struct{}{},
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		prefixes []string
+		expect   string
+	}{
+		{ // request to leader
+			cx.prefixArgs([]string{cx.epc.EndpointsV3()[leadIdx]}),
+			fmt.Sprintf("Leadership transferred from %s to %s", types.ID(leaderID), types.ID(transferee)),
+		},
+	}
+	for i, tc := range tests {
+		cmdArgs := append(tc.prefixes, "move-leader", types.ID(transferee).String())
+		if err := spawnWithExpect(cmdArgs, tc.expect); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("#%d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+	}
+}