diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 9b39ab23..9e866c2d 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -327,6 +327,22 @@ init_done (WpCore * core, GAsyncResult * res, WpDaemon * d)
   }
 }
 
+static gchar *
+find_config (const gchar *config_file_name)
+{
+  g_autofree gchar *path = NULL;
+
+  if (!config_file_name)
+    config_file_name = "wireplumber.conf";
+
+  if (g_path_is_absolute (config_file_name))
+    path = g_strdup (config_file_name);
+  else
+    path = g_build_filename (wp_get_config_dir (), config_file_name, NULL);
+
+  return g_canonicalize_filename (path, NULL);
+}
+
 gint
 main (gint argc, gchar **argv)
 {
@@ -334,6 +350,7 @@ main (gint argc, gchar **argv)
   g_autoptr (GOptionContext) context = NULL;
   g_autoptr (GError) error = NULL;
   g_autoptr (WpProperties) properties = NULL;
+  g_autofree gchar *config_file_path = NULL;
 
   wp_init (WP_INIT_ALL);
 
@@ -344,22 +361,15 @@ main (gint argc, gchar **argv)
     return WP_EXIT_USAGE;
   }
 
+  config_file_path = find_config (config_file);
+
   properties = wp_properties_new (
-      PW_KEY_CONFIG_NAME, config_file ? config_file : "wireplumber.conf",
+      PW_KEY_CONFIG_NAME, config_file_path,
       PW_KEY_APP_NAME, "WirePlumber",
       "wireplumber.daemon", "true",
       "wireplumber.export-core", "true",
       NULL);
 
-  if (!g_path_is_absolute (wp_get_config_dir ())) {
-    g_autofree gchar *cwd = g_get_current_dir ();
-    g_autofree gchar *conf_dir =
-        g_build_filename (cwd, wp_get_config_dir (), NULL);
-    wp_properties_set (properties, PW_KEY_CONFIG_PREFIX, conf_dir);
-  } else {
-    wp_properties_set (properties, PW_KEY_CONFIG_PREFIX, wp_get_config_dir ());
-  }
-
   /* init wireplumber daemon */
   d.loop = g_main_loop_new (NULL, FALSE);
   d.core = wp_core_new (NULL, g_steal_pointer (&properties));