diff --git a/docs/source/settings.rst b/docs/source/settings.rst
index 66dfebd6..c39750bc 100644
--- a/docs/source/settings.rst
+++ b/docs/source/settings.rst
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ config
 ~~~~~~
 
 * ``-c FILE, --config FILE``
-* ``None``
+* ``gunicorn.conf.py`` if the file exists on the current directory otherwise
+  ``None`` is used.
 
 The path to a Gunicorn config file.
 
diff --git a/gunicorn/app/base.py b/gunicorn/app/base.py
index 88e49000..66778170 100644
--- a/gunicorn/app/base.py
+++ b/gunicorn/app/base.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import traceback
 
 from gunicorn import util
 from gunicorn.arbiter import Arbiter
-from gunicorn.config import Config
+from gunicorn.config import Config, get_default_config_file
 from gunicorn import debug
 from gunicorn.six import execfile_
 
@@ -36,6 +36,37 @@ class Application(object):
             sys.stderr.flush()
             sys.exit(1)
 
+    def load_config_from_file(self, filename):
+
+        if not os.path.exists(filename):
+            raise RuntimeError("%r doesn't exist" % filename)
+
+        cfg = {
+            "__builtins__": __builtins__,
+            "__name__": "__config__",
+            "__file__": filename,
+            "__doc__": None,
+            "__package__": None
+        }
+        try:
+            execfile_(filename, cfg, cfg)
+        except Exception:
+            print("Failed to read config file: %s" % filename)
+            traceback.print_exc()
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+        for k, v in cfg.items():
+            # Ignore unknown names
+            if k not in self.cfg.settings:
+                continue
+            try:
+                self.cfg.set(k.lower(), v)
+            except:
+                sys.stderr.write("Invalid value for %s: %s\n\n" % (k, v))
+                raise
+
+        return cfg
+
     def load_config(self):
         # init configuration
         self.cfg = Config(self.usage, prog=self.prog)
@@ -52,6 +83,13 @@ class Application(object):
             for k, v in cfg.items():
                 self.cfg.set(k.lower(), v)
 
+        default_config = get_default_config_file()
+
+        if args.config:
+            self.load_config_from_file(args.config)
+        elif default_config is not None:
+            self.load_config_from_file(default_config)
+
         # Lastly, update the configuration with any command line
         # settings.
         for k, v in args.__dict__.items():
@@ -61,36 +99,6 @@ class Application(object):
                 continue
             self.cfg.set(k.lower(), v)
 
-        # Load up the config file if its found.
-        if args.config:
-            if not os.path.exists(args.config):
-                raise RuntimeError("%r doesn't exist" % args.config)
-
-            cfg = {
-                "__builtins__": __builtins__,
-                "__name__": "__config__",
-                "__file__": args.config,
-                "__doc__": None,
-                "__package__": None
-            }
-            try:
-                execfile_(args.config, cfg, cfg)
-            except Exception:
-                print("Failed to read config file: %s" % args.config)
-                traceback.print_exc()
-                sys.exit(1)
-
-            for k, v in cfg.items():
-                # Ignore unknown names
-                if k not in self.cfg.settings:
-                    continue
-                try:
-                    self.cfg.set(k.lower(), v)
-                except:
-                    sys.stderr.write("Invalid value for %s: %s\n\n" % (k, v))
-                    raise
-
-
     def init(self, parser, opts, args):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
diff --git a/gunicorn/config.py b/gunicorn/config.py
index 4c481021..f6c284e8 100644
--- a/gunicorn/config.py
+++ b/gunicorn/config.py
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ class Setting(object):
             "dest": self.name,
             "action": self.action or "store",
             "type": self.type or str,
-            "default": self.default or None,
+            "default": None,
             "help": help_txt
         }
 
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ class ConfigFile(Setting):
     cli = ["-c", "--config"]
     meta = "FILE"
     validator = validate_string
-    default = get_default_config_file()
+    default = None
     desc = """\
         The path to a Gunicorn config file.