diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b03f3f69..4924572a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@
 
 
 ### Changed
+
+* Use `$HOME` instead of `getpwuid()` to retrieve the user’s home
+  directory when searching for `foot.ini`.
+
+
 ### Deprecated
 ### Removed
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index c5fad01a..cb05319a 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -311,15 +311,6 @@ struct config_file {
     int fd;           /* FD of file, O_RDONLY */
 };
 
-static const char *
-get_user_home_dir(void)
-{
-    const struct passwd *passwd = getpwuid(getuid());
-    if (passwd == NULL)
-        return NULL;
-    return passwd->pw_dir;
-}
-
 static struct config_file
 open_config(void)
 {
@@ -328,7 +319,7 @@ open_config(void)
 
     const char *xdg_config_home = getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME");
     const char *xdg_config_dirs = getenv("XDG_CONFIG_DIRS");
-    const char *home_dir = get_user_home_dir();
+    const char *home_dir = getenv("HOME");
     char *xdg_config_dirs_copy = NULL;
 
     /* First, check XDG_CONFIG_HOME (or .config, if unset) */
@@ -756,7 +747,7 @@ parse_section_main(struct context *ctx)
         const char *include_path = NULL;
 
         if (value[0] == '~' && value[1] == '/') {
-            const char *home_dir = get_user_home_dir();
+            const char *home_dir = getenv("HOME");
 
             if (home_dir == NULL) {
                 LOG_CONTEXTUAL_ERRNO("failed to expand '~'");
diff --git a/doc/foot.1.scd b/doc/foot.1.scd
index 837da048..52ccebd1 100644
--- a/doc/foot.1.scd
+++ b/doc/foot.1.scd
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ foot will search for a configuration file in the following locations,
 in this order:
 
 	- *XDG_CONFIG_HOME/foot/foot.ini* (defaulting to
-	  *~/.config/foot/foot.ini* if unset)
+	  *$HOME/.config/foot/foot.ini* if unset)
 	- *XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/foot/foot.ini* (defaulting to
 	  */etc/xdg/foot/foot.ini* if unset)
 
@@ -464,6 +464,10 @@ The following environment variables are used by foot:
 	The default child process to run, when no _command_ argument is
 	specified and the *shell* option in *foot.ini*(5) is not set.
 
+*HOME*
+	Used to determine the location of the configuration file, see
+	*foot.ini*(5) for details.
+
 *XDG\_CONFIG\_HOME*
 	Used to determine the location of the configuration file, see
 	*foot.ini*(5) for details.
diff --git a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
index 8aa63d2f..9c7ccf29 100644
--- a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
+++ b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ foot will search for a configuration file in the following locations,
 in this order:
 
 	- *XDG_CONFIG_HOME/foot/foot.ini* (defaulting to
-	  *~/.config/foot/foot.ini* if unset)
+	  *$HOME/.config/foot/foot.ini* if unset)
 	- *XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/foot/foot.ini* (defaulting to
 	  */etc/xdg/foot/foot.ini* if unset)