diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index 8f3e5a7..e37d957 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ Version 0.10.0
 
 - New storage types :storage:`google_calendar` and :storage:`google_contacts`
   have been added.
+- New global command line option `--config`, to specify an alternative config
+  file. See :gh:`409`.
 
 Version 0.9.3
 =============
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/cli/__init__.py b/vdirsyncer/cli/__init__.py
index 08e4157..7e2e249 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/cli/__init__.py
@@ -50,9 +50,10 @@ def _check_python2():
 @click_log.init('vdirsyncer')
 @click_log.simple_verbosity_option()
 @click.version_option(version=__version__)
+@click.option('--config', '-c', metavar='FILE', help='Config file to use.')
 @pass_context
 @catch_errors
-def app(ctx):
+def app(ctx, config):
     '''
     vdirsyncer -- synchronize calendars and contacts
     '''
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ def app(ctx):
     from .config import load_config
 
     if not ctx.config:
-        ctx.config = load_config()
+        ctx.config = load_config(config)
 
 main = app
 
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/cli/config.py b/vdirsyncer/cli/config.py
index e663973..08ee99b 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/cli/config.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/cli/config.py
@@ -79,9 +79,10 @@ def _validate_pair_section(pair_config):
         raise ValueError('Duplicate values in collections parameter.')
 
 
-def load_config():
-    fname = os.environ.get('VDIRSYNCER_CONFIG', None)
-    if not fname:
+def load_config(fname=None):
+    if fname is None:
+        fname = os.environ.get('VDIRSYNCER_CONFIG', None)
+    if fname is None:
         fname = expand_path('~/.vdirsyncer/config')
         if not os.path.exists(fname):
             xdg_config_dir = os.environ.get('XDG_CONFIG_HOME',