diff --git a/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/netapp/dataontap/test_nfs_cmode.py b/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/netapp/dataontap/test_nfs_cmode.py
index e5552d729de..e9c835ffcf0 100644
--- a/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/netapp/dataontap/test_nfs_cmode.py
+++ b/cinder/tests/unit/volume/drivers/netapp/dataontap/test_nfs_cmode.py
@@ -1262,6 +1262,22 @@ class NetAppCmodeNfsDriverTestCase(test.TestCase):
             fake.VOLUME, fake.IMAGE_FILE_ID, cache_result[0])
         self.driver._post_clone_image.assert_called_once_with(fake.VOLUME)
 
+    def test_copy_from_cache_workflow_remote_location_no_copyoffload(self):
+        cache_result = [('ip1:/openstack', fake.IMAGE_FILE_ID),
+                        ('ip2:/openstack', fake.IMAGE_FILE_ID),
+                        ('ip3:/openstack', fake.IMAGE_FILE_ID)]
+        self.driver._find_image_location = mock.Mock(return_value=[
+            cache_result[0], False])
+        self.driver._copy_from_remote_cache = mock.Mock()
+        self.driver._post_clone_image = mock.Mock()
+        self.driver.configuration.netapp_copyoffload_tool_path = None
+
+        copied = self.driver._copy_from_cache(
+            fake.VOLUME, fake.IMAGE_FILE_ID, cache_result)
+
+        self.assertFalse(copied)
+        self.driver._copy_from_remote_cache.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_copy_from_cache_workflow_local_location(self):
         local_share = '/share'
         cache_result = [
diff --git a/cinder/volume/drivers/netapp/dataontap/nfs_cmode.py b/cinder/volume/drivers/netapp/dataontap/nfs_cmode.py
index 32d07b8501b..7a43bbb4d71 100644
--- a/cinder/volume/drivers/netapp/dataontap/nfs_cmode.py
+++ b/cinder/volume/drivers/netapp/dataontap/nfs_cmode.py
@@ -522,7 +522,8 @@ class NetAppCmodeNfsDriver(nfs_base.NetAppNfsDriver,
                 LOG.debug("Copied image from cache to volume %s using "
                           "cloning.", volume['id'])
                 copied = True
-            elif cache_copy:
+            elif (cache_copy and
+                  self.configuration.netapp_copyoffload_tool_path):
                 self._copy_from_remote_cache(volume, image_id, cache_copy)
                 copied = True
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/bug-1660927-netapp-no-copyoffload-77fc3cf4f2cf2335.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/bug-1660927-netapp-no-copyoffload-77fc3cf4f2cf2335.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f65379f0bee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/bug-1660927-netapp-no-copyoffload-77fc3cf4f2cf2335.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixed misleading error message when NetApp copyoffload tool is not in place
+    during image cloning.