drush breaking due to config.canonical

gistfile1.txt

Fatal error: Uncaught exception 'Exception' with message 'The configuration directory type <em class="placeholder">active</em> does not exist.' in /Users/alex/dev/sites/drupal8alt.dev/core/includes/bootstrap.inc on line 496

Exception: The configuration directory type <em class="placeholder">active</em> does not exist. in /Users/alex/dev/sites/drupal8alt.dev/core/includes/bootstrap.inc on line 496

Call Stack:
    0.0004     709584   1. {main}() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/drush.php:0
    0.0152    5153000   2. drush_main() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/drush.php:14
    0.0608   12112608   3. _drush_bootstrap_and_dispatch() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/drush.php:59
    0.0779   12123136   4. drush_dispatch() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/drush.php:90
    0.1052   12142080   5. call_user_func_array() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/command.inc:165
    0.1052   12142448   6. drush_command() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/command.inc:165
    0.1053   12142760   7. _drush_invoke_hooks() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/command.inc:198
    0.1058   12190832   8. call_user_func_array() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/command.inc:324
    0.1058   12191200   9. drush_core_help() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/command.inc:324
    0.1058   12191592  10. drush_bootstrap_max() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/commands/core/help.drush.inc:260
    0.1070   12193600  11. drush_bootstrap() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/bootstrap.inc:345
    0.1076   12195504  12. _drush_bootstrap_drupal_root() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/bootstrap.inc:185
    0.1208   14901248  13. dt() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/bootstrap.inc:698
    0.1217   14997384  14. t() /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/output.inc:152
    0.1217   14997848  15. language() /Users/alex/dev/sites/drupal8alt.dev/core/includes/bootstrap.inc:1456
    0.1217   14997928  16. drupal_container() /Users/alex/dev/sites/drupal8alt.dev/core/includes/bootstrap.inc:2668
    0.1239   15636032  17. config_get_config_directory() /Users/alex/dev/sites/drupal8alt.dev/core/includes/bootstrap.inc:2440

Drush command terminated abnormally due to an unrecoverable error.                                                                                                                                [error]
Error: Uncaught exception 'Exception' with message 'The configuration directory type <em class="placeholder">active</em> does not exist.' in
/Users/alex/dev/sites/drupal8alt.dev/core/includes/bootstrap.inc:496
Stack trace:
#0 /Users/alex/dev/sites/drupal8alt.dev/core/includes/bootstrap.inc(2440): config_get_config_directory('active')
#1 /Users/alex/dev/sites/drupal8alt.dev/core/includes/bootstrap.inc(2668): drupal_container()
#2 /Users/alex/dev/sites/drupal8alt.dev/core/includes/bootstrap.inc(1456): language('language_interf...')
#3 /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/output.inc(152): t('Initialized Dru...', Array)
#4 /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/bootstrap.inc(698): dt('Initialized Dru...', Array)
#5 /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/bootstrap.inc(185): _drush_bootstrap_drupal_root()
#6 /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/bootstrap.inc(345): drush_bootstrap(1, 3)
#7 /Users/alex/dev/drush5/commands/core/help.drush.inc(260): drush_bootstrap_max(3)
#8 [internal function]: drush_core_help()
#9 /Users/alex/dev/drush5/includes/c in /Users/alex/dev/sites/drupal8alt.dev/core/includes/bootstrap.inc, line 496