Call to undefined function Drush\Boot\backdrop_get_profile() when config directory not empty.

[klonos]

I have dropped the db tables in a setup in order to start afresh, but when running drush status I get this error:

Error: Call to undefined function Drush\Boot\backdrop_get_profile() in Drush\Boot\BackdropBoot->get_profile() (line 103 of /home/vagrant/.drush/commands/backdrop/BackdropBoot.php).
Drush command terminated abnormally due to an unrecoverable error.   [error]

...trying to access the site revealed the known message:

The ./files/config_hash/active directory must be completely empty to proceed with installation. Empty this directory or specify a different directory in settings.php."

Can we catch that and throw the same error in the drush command instead of the "cryptic" Call to undefined function Drush\Boot\backdrop_get_profile()?