diff --git a/cli/src/lib.rs b/cli/src/lib.rs
index 7e4e49d1b3c..3b54edd35bc 100644
--- a/cli/src/lib.rs
+++ b/cli/src/lib.rs
@@ -494,8 +494,8 @@ fn genesis_domain(public_key: PublicKey) -> Domain {
 /// - If failed to read the config
 /// - If failed to load the genesis block
 /// - If failed to build a genesis network
-pub fn read_config_and_genesis(
-    path: impl AsRef<Path>,
+pub fn read_config_and_genesis<P: AsRef<Path>>(
+    path: Option<P>,
     submit_genesis: bool,
 ) -> Result<(Config, Option<GenesisNetwork>)> {
     use iroha_config::parameters::actual::Genesis;
diff --git a/cli/src/main.rs b/cli/src/main.rs
index b76c8cc0467..34c7909ef9d 100644
--- a/cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/cli/src/main.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ fn default_terminal_colors_str() -> clap::builder::OsStr {
 struct Args {
     /// Path to the configuration file
     #[arg(long, short, value_name("PATH"), value_hint(clap::ValueHint::FilePath))]
-    config: PathBuf,
+    config: Option<PathBuf>,
     /// Whether to enable ANSI colored output or not
     ///
     /// By default, Iroha determines whether the terminal supports colors or not.
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     #[allow(clippy::bool_assert_comparison)] // for expressiveness
     fn default_args() -> Result<()> {
-        let args = Args::try_parse_from(["test", "--config", "config.toml"])?;
+        let args = Args::try_parse_from(["test"])?;
 
         assert_eq!(args.terminal_colors, is_colouring_supported());
         assert_eq!(args.submit_genesis, false);
@@ -97,11 +97,11 @@ mod tests {
     #[allow(clippy::bool_assert_comparison)] // for expressiveness
     fn terminal_colors_works_as_expected() -> Result<()> {
         fn try_with(arg: &str) -> Result<bool> {
-            Ok(Args::try_parse_from(["test", arg, "--config", "config.toml"])?.terminal_colors)
+            Ok(Args::try_parse_from(["test", arg])?.terminal_colors)
         }
 
         assert_eq!(
-            Args::try_parse_from(["test", "--config", "config.toml"])?.terminal_colors,
+            Args::try_parse_from(["test"])?.terminal_colors,
             is_colouring_supported()
         );
         assert_eq!(try_with("--terminal-colors")?, true);
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn user_provided_config_path_works() -> Result<()> {
         let args = Args::try_parse_from(["test", "--config", "/home/custom/file.json"])?;
 
-        assert_eq!(args.config, PathBuf::from("/home/custom/file.json"));
+        assert_eq!(args.config, Some(PathBuf::from("/home/custom/file.json")));
 
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/config/src/parameters/actual.rs b/config/src/parameters/actual.rs
index fc3c66afea0..0be623cac18 100644
--- a/config/src/parameters/actual.rs
+++ b/config/src/parameters/actual.rs
@@ -53,10 +53,14 @@ impl Root {
     /// - unable to load config from a TOML file
     /// - unable to parse config from envs
     /// - the config is invalid
-    pub fn load(path: impl AsRef<Path>, cli: CliContext) -> Result<Self, eyre::Report> {
-        let config = RootPartial::from_toml(path)?;
-        let config = config.merge(RootPartial::from_env(&StdEnv)?);
-        let config = config.unwrap_partial()?.parse(cli)?;
+    pub fn load<P: AsRef<Path>>(path: Option<P>, cli: CliContext) -> Result<Self, eyre::Report> {
+        let from_file = path.map(RootPartial::from_toml).transpose()?;
+        let from_env = RootPartial::from_env(&StdEnv)?;
+        let merged = match from_file {
+            Some(x) => x.merge(from_env),
+            None => from_env,
+        };
+        let config = merged.unwrap_partial()?.parse(cli)?;
         Ok(config)
     }
 }