diff --git a/lemur/factory.py b/lemur/factory.py
index 13b9c8ba..28f48a98 100644
--- a/lemur/factory.py
+++ b/lemur/factory.py
@@ -90,12 +90,15 @@ def configure_app(app, config=None):
     :param config:
     :return:
     """
+    # respect the config first
+    if config and config != 'None':
+        app.config.from_object(from_file(config))
+
     try:
         app.config.from_envvar("LEMUR_CONF")
     except RuntimeError:
-        if config and config != 'None':
-            app.config.from_object(from_file(config))
-        elif os.path.isfile(os.path.expanduser("~/.lemur/lemur.conf.py")):
+        # look in default paths
+        if os.path.isfile(os.path.expanduser("~/.lemur/lemur.conf.py")):
             app.config.from_object(from_file(os.path.expanduser("~/.lemur/lemur.conf.py")))
         else:
             app.config.from_object(from_file(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)), 'default.conf.py')))