diff --git a/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb b/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb
index c428c1a6..5b5dda4b 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/configuration.rb
@@ -102,7 +102,10 @@ module Jekyll
     def config_files(override)
       # Get configuration from <source>/_config.yml or <source>/<config_file>
       config_files = override.delete('config')
-      config_files = File.join(source(override), "_config.yml") if config_files.to_s.empty?
+      if config_files.to_s.empty?
+        config_files = File.join(source(override), "_config.yml")
+        @default_config_file = true
+      end
       config_files = [config_files] unless config_files.is_a? Array
       config_files
     end
@@ -114,9 +117,17 @@ module Jekyll
     # Returns this configuration, overridden by the values in the file
     def read_config_file(file)
       next_config = YAML.safe_load_file(file)
-      raise "Configuration file: (INVALID) #{file}".yellow if !next_config.is_a?(Hash)
+      raise ArgumentError.new("Configuration file: (INVALID) #{file}".yellow) if !next_config.is_a?(Hash)
       Jekyll.logger.info "Configuration file:", file
       next_config
+    rescue SystemCallError
+      if @default_config_file
+        Jekyll.logger.warn "Configuration file:", "none"
+        {}
+      else
+        Jekyll.logger.error "Fatal:", "The configuration file '#{file}' could not be found."
+        raise LoadError
+      end
     end
 
     # Public: Read in a list of configuration files and merge with this hash
@@ -133,10 +144,7 @@ module Jekyll
           new_config = read_config_file(config_file)
           configuration = configuration.deep_merge(new_config)
         end
-      rescue SystemCallError
-        # Errno:ENOENT = file not found
-        Jekyll.logger.warn "Configuration file:", "none"
-      rescue => err
+      rescue ArgumentError => err
         Jekyll.logger.warn "WARNING:", "Error reading configuration. " +
                      "Using defaults (and options)."
         $stderr.puts "#{err}"
diff --git a/test/test_configuration.rb b/test/test_configuration.rb
index 0f197643..0e6372b0 100644
--- a/test/test_configuration.rb
+++ b/test/test_configuration.rb
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ class TestConfiguration < Test::Unit::TestCase
   context "loading configuration" do
     setup do
       @path = File.join(Dir.pwd, '_config.yml')
+      @user_config = File.join(Dir.pwd, "my_config_file.yml")
     end
 
     should "fire warning with no _config.yml" do
@@ -102,6 +103,14 @@ class TestConfiguration < Test::Unit::TestCase
       mock($stderr).puts("Configuration file: (INVALID) #{@path}".yellow)
       assert_equal Jekyll::Configuration::DEFAULTS, Jekyll.configuration({})
     end
+
+    should "fire warning when user-specified config file isn't there" do
+      mock(YAML).safe_load_file(@user_config) { raise SystemCallError, "No such file or directory - #{@user_config}" }
+      mock($stderr).puts(("Fatal: ".rjust(20) + "The configuration file '#{@user_config}' could not be found.").red)
+      assert_raises LoadError do
+        Jekyll.configuration({'config' => [@user_config]})
+      end
+    end
   end
   context "loading config from external file" do
     setup do