diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a8bc13c..6ca0749 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ optional arguments:
 
 ## Configuration file
 
-pirate-get will check to see if `$HOME/.config/pirate-get/pirate.cfg` exists. If it does it will use it as its default configuration settings.
+You can use a file to override pirate-get's default settings. pirate-get will
+first check if `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/pirate-get/pirate.cfg` exists, then check if
+`$HOME/.config/pirate-get/pirate.cfg` exists, and load the first file it finds.
+
 
 ### SaveToFile
 
diff --git a/pirate-get.py b/pirate-get.py
index fa0f02f..706d9da 100755
--- a/pirate-get.py
+++ b/pirate-get.py
@@ -80,7 +80,13 @@ def main():
     config.set('SaveToFile', 'directory', '~/Dropbox/pirate-get/')
 
     # load user options, to override default ones
-    config.read([os.path.expanduser('~/.config/pirate-get/pirate.cfg')])
+    def config_to_load():
+        if os.path.isfile(os.path.expandvars('$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/pirate-get/pirate.cfg')):
+            return os.path.expandvars('$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/pirate-get/pirate.cfg')
+        else:
+            return os.path.expanduser('~/.config/pirate-get/pirate.cfg')
+
+    config.read([config_to_load()])
 
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Finds and downloads torrents from the Pirate Bay')
     parser.add_argument('-b', dest='browse',  action='store_true', help="Display in Browse mode", default=False)