diff --git a/conda_subprocess/process.py b/conda_subprocess/process.py
index 960eb3f..b5ae52b 100644
--- a/conda_subprocess/process.py
+++ b/conda_subprocess/process.py
@@ -2,7 +2,14 @@
 from subprocess import Popen as subprocess_Popen
 
 from conda.auxlib.compat import shlex_split_unicode
-from conda.base.context import context, validate_prefix_name
+from conda.auxlib.ish import dals
+from conda.base.context import (
+    context,
+    _first_writable_envs_dir,
+    ROOT_ENV_NAME,
+    PREFIX_NAME_DISALLOWED_CHARS,
+)
+from conda.exceptions import EnvironmentNameNotFound, CondaValueError
 from conda.cli.common import validate_prefix
 from conda.common.compat import encode_arguments, encode_environment, isiterable
 from conda.common.path import expand
@@ -92,7 +99,7 @@ def _check_prefix(prefix_name=None, prefix_path=None):
     elif prefix_path is not None:
         return expand(prefix_path)
     else:
-        return validate_prefix_name(prefix_name, ctx=context)
+        return _validate_prefix_name(prefix_name, ctx=context)
 
 
 def _check_args(args):
@@ -100,3 +107,54 @@ def _check_args(args):
         return args.split()
     else:
         return args
+
+
+def _locate_prefix_by_name(name, envs_dirs=None):
+    """Find the location of a prefix given a conda env name.  If the location does not exist, an
+    error is raised.
+    """
+    assert name
+    if name in (ROOT_ENV_NAME, "root"):
+        return context.root_prefix
+    if envs_dirs is None:
+        envs_dirs = context.envs_dirs
+    for envs_dir in envs_dirs:
+        if not os.path.isdir(envs_dir):
+            continue
+        prefix = os.path.join(envs_dir, name)
+        if os.path.isdir(prefix):
+            return os.path.abspath(prefix)
+    raise EnvironmentNameNotFound(name)
+
+
+def _validate_prefix_name(prefix_name: str, ctx: context, allow_base=True) -> str:
+    """Run various validations to make sure prefix_name is valid"""
+    if PREFIX_NAME_DISALLOWED_CHARS.intersection(prefix_name):
+        raise CondaValueError(
+            dals(
+                f"""
+                Invalid environment name: {prefix_name!r}
+                Characters not allowed: {PREFIX_NAME_DISALLOWED_CHARS}
+                If you are specifying a path to an environment, the `-p`
+                flag should be used instead.
+                """
+            )
+        )
+
+    if prefix_name in (ROOT_ENV_NAME, "root"):
+        if allow_base:
+            return ctx.root_prefix
+        else:
+            raise CondaValueError(
+                "Use of 'base' as environment name is not allowed here."
+            )
+
+    else:
+        envs_dirs = context.envs_dirs
+        envs_dirs += tuple(
+            [os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.environ["CONDA_EXE"], "..", "..", "envs"))]
+        )
+        try:
+            return _locate_prefix_by_name(name=prefix_name, envs_dirs=envs_dirs)
+        except EnvironmentNameNotFound:
+            return os.path.join(_first_writable_envs_dir(), prefix_name)
diff --git a/tests/test_conda_subprocess.py b/tests/test_conda_subprocess.py
index d3d9c1a..d1f04db 100644
--- a/tests/test_conda_subprocess.py
+++ b/tests/test_conda_subprocess.py
@@ -7,16 +7,24 @@
 
 
 class TestCondaSubprocess(TestCase):
-    def setUp(self):
-        self.env_path = os.path.join(context.root_prefix, "..", "py312")
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        cls.env_name = "py312"
+        cls.env_path = os.path.join(context.root_prefix, "..", cls.env_name)
 
-    def test_call(self):
+    def test_call_path(self):
         self.assertEqual(call("python --version", prefix_path=self.env_path), 0)
 
-    def test_check_call(self):
+    def test_call_name(self):
+        self.assertEqual(call("python --version", prefix_name=self.env_name), 0)
+
+    def test_check_call_path(self):
         self.assertEqual(check_call("python --version", prefix_path=self.env_path), 0)
 
-    def test_check_output(self):
+    def test_check_call_name(self):
+        self.assertEqual(check_call("python --version", prefix_name=self.env_name), 0)
+
+    def test_check_output_path(self):
         if os.name == "nt":
             self.assertEqual(
                 check_output("python --version", prefix_path=self.env_path),
@@ -28,6 +36,15 @@ def test_check_output(self):
                 b"Python 3.12.1\n",
             )
 
+    def test_check_output_name(self):
+        expected_output = (
+            b"Python 3.12.1\r\n" if os.name == "nt" else b"Python 3.12.1\n"
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            check_output("python --version", prefix_name=self.env_name),
+            expected_output,
+        )
+
     def test_check_output_universal_newlines(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             check_output(
@@ -36,12 +53,17 @@ def test_check_output_universal_newlines(self):
             "Python 3.12.1\n",
         )
 
-    def test_run(self):
+    def test_run_path(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             run("python --version", prefix_path=self.env_path).returncode, 0
         )
 
-    def test_popen(self):
+    def test_run_name(self):
+        self.assertEqual(
+            run("python --version", prefix_name=self.env_name).returncode, 0
+        )
+
+    def test_popen_path(self):
         process = Popen("python --version", prefix_path=self.env_path, stdout=PIPE)
         output = process.communicate()
         if os.name == "nt":
@@ -50,6 +72,15 @@ def test_popen(self):
             self.assertEqual(output[0], b"Python 3.12.1\n")
         self.assertIsNone(output[1])
 
+    def test_popen_name(self):
+        process = Popen("python --version", prefix_name=self.env_name, stdout=PIPE)
+        output = process.communicate()
+        if os.name == "nt":
+            self.assertEqual(output[0], b"Python 3.12.1\r\n")
+        else:
+            self.assertEqual(output[0], b"Python 3.12.1\n")
+        self.assertIsNone(output[1])
+
     def test_environment_variable(self):
         self.assertTrue(
             "TESTVAR=test"