diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3c3cb21..b891bad 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@
    underlying TTY device is a UART and not a VUART nor PTY (where baud is not
    applicable)
 
+2. console-server: Don't require a configuration file
+
+   Passing the `--config` option is no longer required when invoking
+   `obmc-console-server`.
+
 ### Deprecated
 
 1. obmc-console: Introduce console-id, deprecate socket-id
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 5a2f4f0..707c024 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@
 {
 	struct config_item *item;
 
+	if (!config) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	for (item = config->items; item; item = item->next) {
 		if (!strcasecmp(item->name, name)) {
 			return item->value;
@@ -168,6 +172,10 @@
 	struct config_item *item;
 	struct config_item *next;
 
+	if (!config) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	for (item = config->items; item; item = next) {
 		next = item->next;
 		free(item->name);
diff --git a/console-server.c b/console-server.c
index 99cf1c7..c73ebb7 100644
--- a/console-server.c
+++ b/console-server.c
@@ -847,11 +847,6 @@
 	console->rb = ringbuffer_init(buffer_size);
 
 	config = config_init(config_filename);
-	if (!config) {
-		warnx("Can't read configuration, exiting.");
-		rc = -1;
-		goto out_free;
-	}
 
 	if (set_socket_info(console, config, console_id)) {
 		rc = -1;
@@ -876,7 +871,6 @@
 out_config_fini:
 	config_fini(config);
 
-out_free:
 	free(console->pollers);
 	free(console->pollfds);
 	free(console);