diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8377660..5ec83ad 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -27,4 +27,5 @@ open-api-spec.yml
 requirements-lock-old.txt
 opensearch
 build
-*.egg-info
\ No newline at end of file
+*.egg-info
+config.py
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/guardrails_api/app.py b/guardrails_api/app.py
index d43a15c..7ac5adc 100644
--- a/guardrails_api/app.py
+++ b/guardrails_api/app.py
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ def __call__(self, environ, start_response):
 
 
 def register_config(config: Optional[str] = None):
-    default_config_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "config.py")
-
+    default_config_file = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "./config.py")
     config_file = config or default_config_file
     config_file_path = os.path.abspath(config_file)
     if os.path.isfile(config_file_path):
diff --git a/guardrails_api/utils/configuration.py b/guardrails_api/utils/configuration.py
index 742f8f4..1fdb965 100644
--- a/guardrails_api/utils/configuration.py
+++ b/guardrails_api/utils/configuration.py
@@ -3,16 +3,16 @@
 import os
 
 def valid_configuration(config: Optional[str]=""):
-    default_config_file = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "config.py")
+    default_config_file = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "./config.py")
 
-    config_file_path = os.path.abspath(config)
     default_config_file_path = os.path.abspath(default_config_file)
     # If config.py is not present and 
     # if a config filepath is not passed and
     # if postgres is not there (i.e. we’re using in-mem db) 
     # then raise ConfigurationError
     has_default_config_file = os.path.isfile(default_config_file_path)
-    has_config_file = config != "" and os.path.isfile(config_file_path)
+
+    has_config_file = (config != "" and config is not None) and os.path.isfile(os.path.abspath(config))
     if not has_default_config_file and not has_config_file and not postgres_is_enabled():
         raise ConfigurationError("Can not start. Configuration not provided and default"
                         " configuration not found and postgres is not enabled.")