diff --git a/include/config/rcxml.h b/include/config/rcxml.h
index fa410116..48600d50 100644
--- a/include/config/rcxml.h
+++ b/include/config/rcxml.h
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@ struct window_switcher_field {
 };
 
 struct rcxml {
+	/* from command line */
 	char *config_dir;
+	char *config_file;
 	bool merge_config;
 
 	/* core */
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 6ccf227b..9bfe3a1d 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	textdomain(GETTEXT_PACKAGE);
 #endif
 	char *startup_cmd = NULL;
-	char *config_file = NULL;
 	enum wlr_log_importance verbosity = WLR_ERROR;
 
 	int c;
@@ -99,7 +98,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 		switch (c) {
 		case 'c':
-			config_file = optarg;
+			rc.config_file = optarg;
 			break;
 		case 'C':
 			rc.config_dir = optarg;
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	die_on_detecting_suid();
 
 	session_environment_init();
-	rcxml_read(config_file);
+	rcxml_read(rc.config_file);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set environment variable LABWC_PID to the pid of the compositor
diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index 7e78265b..cd3b6202 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ static void
 reload_config_and_theme(void)
 {
 	rcxml_finish();
-	rcxml_read(NULL);
+	rcxml_read(rc.config_file);
 	theme_finish(g_server->theme);
 	theme_init(g_server->theme, rc.theme_name);