diff --git a/nomenclature/cli.py b/nomenclature/cli.py
index 52103201..1a0f45e5 100644
--- a/nomenclature/cli.py
+++ b/nomenclature/cli.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 from nomenclature.definition import DataStructureDefinition
 from nomenclature.codelist import VariableCodeList
 from nomenclature.processor import RegionProcessor
-from nomenclature.config import NomenclatureConfig
 from nomenclature.testing import assert_valid_structure, assert_valid_yaml
 
 cli = click.Group()
@@ -321,13 +320,4 @@ def cli_validate_scenarios(input_file: Path, definitions: Path, dimensions: List
     ValueError
         If input_file validation fails against specified codelist(s).
     """
-    if not dimensions:  # if "dimensions" were not specified
-        if definitions.parent / "nomenclature.yaml" in definitions.parent.iterdir():
-            dimensions = NomenclatureConfig.from_file(
-                definitions.parent / "nomenclature.yaml"
-            ).dimensions
-        if not dimensions:
-            dimensions = [x.stem for x in definitions.iterdir() if x.is_dir()]
-        if not dimensions:
-            raise FileNotFoundError(f"`definitions` directory is empty: {definitions}")
     DataStructureDefinition(definitions, dimensions).validate(IamDataFrame(input_file))
diff --git a/tests/data/cli/structure_validation/nomenclature.yaml b/tests/data/cli/structure_validation/nomenclature.yaml
index 78ee58e7..83535f55 100644
--- a/tests/data/cli/structure_validation/nomenclature.yaml
+++ b/tests/data/cli/structure_validation/nomenclature.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 dimensions:
   - region
-  - variable
\ No newline at end of file
+  - variable
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index c86a40b4..ce698579 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ def test_cli_run_workflow(tmp_path, simple_df):
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "status, unit, dimensions, exit_code",
     [
-        ("valid_1", "EJ/yr", "region", 0),
+        ("valid_1", "EJ/yr", ["region", "variable"], 0),
         ("invalid", "EJ", "variable", 1),
         ("valid_2", "EJ", "region", 0),
     ],
@@ -440,6 +440,12 @@ def test_cli_valid_scenarios(status, unit, exit_code, dimensions, tmp_path):
             columns=IAMC_IDX + [2005, 2010],
         )
     ).to_excel(tmp_path / f"{status}_data.xlsx")
+    dimensions = [dimensions] if isinstance(dimensions, str) else dimensions
+    dimension_args = []
+    for dim in dimensions:
+        dimension_args.append("--dimension")
+        dimension_args.append(dim)
+
     result_valid = runner.invoke(
         cli,
         [
@@ -447,49 +453,29 @@ def test_cli_valid_scenarios(status, unit, exit_code, dimensions, tmp_path):
             str(tmp_path / f"{status}_data.xlsx"),
             "--definitions",
             str(MODULE_TEST_DATA_DIR / "structure_validation" / "definitions"),
-            "--dimension",
-            dimensions,
-        ],
+        ]
+        + dimension_args,
     )
     assert result_valid.exit_code == exit_code
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize(
-    "dimensions_src, path, unit, exit_code",
-    [
-        (
-            "nomenclature_yaml_dimensions",
-            "structure_validation",
-            "EJ/yr",
-            0,
-        ),  # defaults to nomenclature.yaml dimensions
-        (
-            "subfolders_dimensions",
-            "structure_validation_no_mappings",
-            "EJ",
-            1,
-        ),  # defaults to 'definitions' subfolders dimensions
-    ],
-)
-def test_cli_valid_scenarios_implicit_dimensions(
-    dimensions_src, path, unit, exit_code, tmp_path
-):
+def test_cli_valid_scenarios_implicit_dimensions(tmp_path):
     """Check that CLI validates an IAMC dataset according to implicit dimensions codelists."""
     IamDataFrame(
         pd.DataFrame(
             [
-                ["m_a", "s_a", "World", "Primary Energy", unit, 1, 2],
+                ["m_a", "s_a", "World", "Primary Energy", "EJ/yr", 1, 2],
             ],
             columns=IAMC_IDX + [2005, 2010],
         )
-    ).to_excel(tmp_path / f"{dimensions_src}_data.xlsx")
+    ).to_excel(tmp_path / "valid_data.xlsx")
     result_valid = runner.invoke(
         cli,
         [
             "validate-scenarios",
-            str(tmp_path / f"{dimensions_src}_data.xlsx"),
+            str(tmp_path / "valid_data.xlsx"),
             "--definitions",
-            str(MODULE_TEST_DATA_DIR / path / "definitions"),
+            str(MODULE_TEST_DATA_DIR / "structure_validation" / "definitions"),
         ],
     )
-    assert result_valid.exit_code == exit_code
+    assert result_valid.exit_code == 0