diff --git a/completions/_zola.ps1 b/completions/_zola.ps1
index 89915d97..977ee071 100644
--- a/completions/_zola.ps1
+++ b/completions/_zola.ps1
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ Register-ArgumentCompleter -Native -CommandName 'zola' -ScriptBlock {
 
     $completions = @(switch ($command) {
         'zola' {
-            [CompletionResult]::new('-c', 'c', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Path to a config file other than config.toml')
-            [CompletionResult]::new('--config', 'config', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Path to a config file other than config.toml')
+            [CompletionResult]::new('-c', 'c', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Path to a config file other than config.toml in the root of project')
+            [CompletionResult]::new('--config', 'config', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Path to a config file other than config.toml in the root of project')
             [CompletionResult]::new('-h', 'h', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Prints help information')
             [CompletionResult]::new('--help', 'help', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Prints help information')
             [CompletionResult]::new('-V', 'V', [CompletionResultType]::ParameterName, 'Prints version information')
diff --git a/completions/zola.fish b/completions/zola.fish
index cb3302e5..a0d1bad8 100644
--- a/completions/zola.fish
+++ b/completions/zola.fish
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-complete -c zola -n "__fish_use_subcommand" -s c -l config -d 'Path to a config file other than config.toml'
+complete -c zola -n "__fish_use_subcommand" -s c -l config -d 'Path to a config file other than config.toml in the root of project'
 complete -c zola -n "__fish_use_subcommand" -s h -l help -d 'Prints help information'
 complete -c zola -n "__fish_use_subcommand" -s V -l version -d 'Prints version information'
 complete -c zola -n "__fish_use_subcommand" -f -a "init" -d 'Create a new Zola project'
diff --git a/components/config/src/lib.rs b/components/config/src/lib.rs
index 07fa104a..50eb9907 100644
--- a/components/config/src/lib.rs
+++ b/components/config/src/lib.rs
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ use std::path::Path;
 
 /// Get and parse the config.
 /// If it doesn't succeed, exit
-pub fn get_config(path: &Path, filename: &str) -> Config {
-    match Config::from_file(path.join(filename)) {
+pub fn get_config(filename: &Path) -> Config {
+    match Config::from_file(filename) {
         Ok(c) => c,
         Err(e) => {
-            println!("Failed to load {}", filename);
+            println!("Failed to load {}", filename.display());
             println!("Error: {}", e);
             ::std::process::exit(1);
         }
diff --git a/components/config/src/theme.rs b/components/config/src/theme.rs
index c25b2c49..6c68401a 100644
--- a/components/config/src/theme.rs
+++ b/components/config/src/theme.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ impl Theme {
         let content = read_file_with_error(
             path,
             "No `theme.toml` file found. \
-             Is the `theme` defined in your `config.toml present in the `themes` directory \
+             Is the `theme` defined in your `config.toml` present in the `themes` directory \
              and does it have a `theme.toml` inside?",
         )?;
         Theme::parse(&content)
diff --git a/components/rebuild/tests/rebuild.rs b/components/rebuild/tests/rebuild.rs
index 3069f66d..06a7620e 100644
--- a/components/rebuild/tests/rebuild.rs
+++ b/components/rebuild/tests/rebuild.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ macro_rules! load_and_build_site {
         dir::copy(&path, &$tmp_dir, &options).unwrap();
 
         let site_path = $tmp_dir.path().join($site);
-        let mut site = Site::new(&site_path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+        let config_file = site_path.join("config.toml");
+        let mut site = Site::new(&site_path, &config_file).unwrap();
         site.load().unwrap();
         let public = &site_path.join("public");
         site.set_output_path(&public);
diff --git a/components/site/benches/load.rs b/components/site/benches/load.rs
index 3cee15f5..65887b75 100644
--- a/components/site/benches/load.rs
+++ b/components/site/benches/load.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_blog(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
     let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
     path.push("benches");
     path.push("small-blog");
-    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 
     b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
 }
@@ -21,7 +22,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_blog_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
     let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
     path.push("benches");
     path.push("small-blog");
-    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
     site.config.highlight_code = true;
 
     b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
@@ -32,7 +34,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_blog_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
 //    let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
 //    path.push("benches");
 //    path.push("medium-blog");
-//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+//    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 //
 //    b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
 //}
@@ -42,7 +45,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_blog_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
 //    let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
 //    path.push("benches");
 //    path.push("medium-blog");
-//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+//    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 //    site.config.highlight_code = true;
 //
 //    b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
@@ -53,7 +57,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_blog_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
 //    let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
 //    path.push("benches");
 //    path.push("big-blog");
-//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+//    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 //
 //    b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
 //}
@@ -63,7 +68,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_blog_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
 //    let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
 //    path.push("benches");
 //    path.push("big-blog");
-//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+//    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 //    site.config.highlight_code = true;
 //
 //    b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
@@ -74,7 +80,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_blog_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
 //    let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
 //    path.push("benches");
 //    path.push("huge-blog");
-//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+//    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 //
 //    b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
 //}
@@ -84,7 +91,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_blog_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
 //    let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
 //    path.push("benches");
 //    path.push("huge-blog");
-//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+//    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 //    site.config.highlight_code = true;
 //
 //    b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
@@ -95,7 +103,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_kb(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
     let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
     path.push("benches");
     path.push("small-kb");
-    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 
     b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
 }
@@ -105,7 +114,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_kb_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
     let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
     path.push("benches");
     path.push("small-kb");
-    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
     site.config.highlight_code = true;
 
     b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
@@ -116,7 +126,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_kb_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
 //    let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
 //    path.push("benches");
 //    path.push("medium-kb");
-//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+//    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 //
 //    b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
 //}
@@ -126,7 +137,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_kb_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
 //    let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
 //    path.push("benches");
 //    path.push("medium-kb");
-//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+//    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 //    site.config.highlight_code = Some(true);
 //
 //    b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
@@ -137,7 +149,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_kb_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
 //    let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
 //    path.push("benches");
 //    path.push("huge-kb");
-//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+//    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 //
 //    b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
 //}
@@ -147,7 +160,8 @@ fn bench_loading_small_kb_with_syntax_highlighting(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
 //    let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
 //    path.push("benches");
 //    path.push("huge-kb");
-//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+//    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+//    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
 //    site.config.highlight_code = Some(true);
 //
 //    b.iter(|| site.load().unwrap());
diff --git a/components/site/benches/site.rs b/components/site/benches/site.rs
index fd1514c0..754eb413 100644
--- a/components/site/benches/site.rs
+++ b/components/site/benches/site.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ fn setup_site(name: &str) -> Site {
     let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().to_path_buf();
     path.push("benches");
     path.push(name);
-    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
     site.load().unwrap();
     site
 }
diff --git a/components/site/src/lib.rs b/components/site/src/lib.rs
index ee0cc89d..dc6e4331 100644
--- a/components/site/src/lib.rs
+++ b/components/site/src/lib.rs
@@ -62,9 +62,10 @@ impl<'a> SerializedTaxonomyItem<'a> {
 impl Site {
     /// Parse a site at the given path. Defaults to the current dir
     /// Passing in a path is used in tests and when --root argument is passed
-    pub fn new<P: AsRef<Path>>(path: P, config_file: &str) -> Result<Site> {
+    pub fn new<P: AsRef<Path>, P2: AsRef<Path>>(path: P, config_file: P2) -> Result<Site> {
         let path = path.as_ref();
-        let mut config = get_config(path, config_file);
+        let config_file = config_file.as_ref();
+        let mut config = get_config(config_file);
         config.load_extra_syntaxes(path)?;
 
         let tpl_glob =
diff --git a/components/site/tests/common.rs b/components/site/tests/common.rs
index a5908dae..24431706 100644
--- a/components/site/tests/common.rs
+++ b/components/site/tests/common.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ macro_rules! file_contains {
 pub fn build_site(name: &str) -> (Site, TempDir, PathBuf) {
     let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().parent().unwrap().parent().unwrap().to_path_buf();
     path.push(name);
-    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
     site.load().unwrap();
     let tmp_dir = tempdir().expect("create temp dir");
     let public = &tmp_dir.path().join("public");
@@ -54,7 +55,8 @@ where
 {
     let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().parent().unwrap().parent().unwrap().to_path_buf();
     path.push(name);
-    let site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+    let site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
     let (mut site, needs_loading) = setup_cb(site);
     if needs_loading {
         site.load().unwrap();
diff --git a/components/site/tests/site.rs b/components/site/tests/site.rs
index fb285c04..5dbc7115 100644
--- a/components/site/tests/site.rs
+++ b/components/site/tests/site.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ use site::Site;
 fn can_parse_site() {
     let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().parent().unwrap().parent().unwrap().to_path_buf();
     path.push("test_site");
-    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
     site.load().unwrap();
     let library = site.library.read().unwrap();
 
@@ -628,7 +629,8 @@ fn can_build_with_extra_syntaxes() {
 fn can_apply_page_templates() {
     let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().parent().unwrap().parent().unwrap().to_path_buf();
     path.push("test_site");
-    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
     site.load().unwrap();
 
     let template_path = path.join("content").join("applying_page_template");
diff --git a/components/site/tests/site_i18n.rs b/components/site/tests/site_i18n.rs
index 0d35bc0d..d4ed0e34 100644
--- a/components/site/tests/site_i18n.rs
+++ b/components/site/tests/site_i18n.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ use site::Site;
 fn can_parse_multilingual_site() {
     let mut path = env::current_dir().unwrap().parent().unwrap().parent().unwrap().to_path_buf();
     path.push("test_site_i18n");
-    let mut site = Site::new(&path, "config.toml").unwrap();
+    let config_file = path.join("config.toml");
+    let mut site = Site::new(&path, &config_file).unwrap();
     site.load().unwrap();
 
     let library = site.library.read().unwrap();
diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 975bb88c..79d758ce 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -18,9 +18,8 @@ pub fn build_cli() -> App<'static, 'static> {
             Arg::with_name("config")
                 .short("c")
                 .long("config")
-                .default_value("config.toml")
                 .takes_value(true)
-                .help("Path to a config file other than config.toml")
+                .help("Path to a config file other than config.toml in the root of project")
         )
         .subcommands(vec![
             SubCommand::with_name("init")
diff --git a/src/cmd/build.rs b/src/cmd/build.rs
index 44d5e4bc..3a2c7634 100644
--- a/src/cmd/build.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/build.rs
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ use crate::console;
 
 pub fn build(
     root_dir: &Path,
-    config_file: &str,
+    config_file: &Path,
     base_url: Option<&str>,
-    output_dir: &str,
+    output_dir: &Path,
     include_drafts: bool,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     let mut site = Site::new(root_dir, config_file)?;
diff --git a/src/cmd/check.rs b/src/cmd/check.rs
index e354e7b4..1ad57b92 100644
--- a/src/cmd/check.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/check.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::console;
 
 pub fn check(
     root_dir: &Path,
-    config_file: &str,
+    config_file: &Path,
     base_path: Option<&str>,
     base_url: Option<&str>,
     include_drafts: bool,
diff --git a/src/cmd/serve.rs b/src/cmd/serve.rs
index 3d4c7860..8f696dd3 100644
--- a/src/cmd/serve.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/serve.rs
@@ -161,9 +161,9 @@ fn create_new_site(
     root_dir: &Path,
     interface: &str,
     port: u16,
-    output_dir: &str,
+    output_dir: &Path,
     base_url: &str,
-    config_file: &str,
+    config_file: &Path,
     include_drafts: bool,
 ) -> Result<(Site, String)> {
     let mut site = Site::new(root_dir, config_file)?;
@@ -194,9 +194,9 @@ pub fn serve(
     root_dir: &Path,
     interface: &str,
     port: u16,
-    output_dir: &str,
+    output_dir: &Path,
     base_url: &str,
-    config_file: &str,
+    config_file: &Path,
     watch_only: bool,
     open: bool,
     include_drafts: bool,
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 935e5474..28c192f3 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ fn main() {
         "." => env::current_dir().unwrap(),
         path => PathBuf::from(path),
     };
-    let config_file = matches.value_of("config").unwrap();
+    let config_file = match matches.value_of("config") {
+        Some(path) => PathBuf::from(path),
+        None => root_dir.join("config.toml"),
+    };
 
     match matches.subcommand() {
         ("init", Some(matches)) => {
@@ -31,12 +34,12 @@ fn main() {
         ("build", Some(matches)) => {
             console::info("Building site...");
             let start = Instant::now();
-            let output_dir = matches.value_of("output_dir").unwrap();
+            let output_dir = PathBuf::from(matches.value_of("output_dir").unwrap());
             match cmd::build(
                 &root_dir,
-                config_file,
+                &config_file,
                 matches.value_of("base_url"),
-                output_dir,
+                &output_dir,
                 matches.is_present("drafts"),
             ) {
                 Ok(()) => console::report_elapsed_time(start),
@@ -73,16 +76,16 @@ fn main() {
                     ::std::process::exit(1);
                 }
             }
-            let output_dir = matches.value_of("output_dir").unwrap();
+            let output_dir = PathBuf::from(matches.value_of("output_dir").unwrap());
             let base_url = matches.value_of("base_url").unwrap();
             console::info("Building site...");
             match cmd::serve(
                 &root_dir,
                 interface,
                 port,
-                output_dir,
+                &output_dir,
                 base_url,
-                config_file,
+                &config_file,
                 watch_only,
                 open,
                 include_drafts,
@@ -99,7 +102,7 @@ fn main() {
             let start = Instant::now();
             match cmd::check(
                 &root_dir,
-                config_file,
+                &config_file,
                 matches.value_of("base_path"),
                 matches.value_of("base_url"),
                 matches.is_present("drafts"),