diff --git a/bidscoin/__init__.py b/bidscoin/__init__.py
index 4dc04054..0dabc29d 100644
--- a/bidscoin/__init__.py
+++ b/bidscoin/__init__.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
 DEBUG = platform.os.getenv('BIDSCOIN_DEBUG','').upper() in ('1', 'TRUE', 'Y', 'YES')
 
 # Create a BIDScoin user configuration directory if needed and load the BIDScoin user settings
-configfile     = Path(platform.os.getenv('BIDSCOIN_CONFIG', Path.home()/'.bidscoin'/__version__/'config.toml'))
+configfile     = Path(platform.os.getenv('BIDSCOIN_CONFIG')) or Path.home()/'.bidscoin'/__version__/'config.toml'
 templatefolder = configfile.parent/'templates'
 templatefolder.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 if not configfile.is_file():