diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 803716c..a28bf3d 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -21,12 +21,14 @@ Installation and usage
 ======================
 
 If you already have it installed and want to quickly configure it, copy the
-``example.cfg`` to ``~/.vdirsyncer/config`` and edit it.
+``example.cfg`` to ``~/.vdirsyncer/config`` [1]_ and edit it.
 
 If that method doesn't work for you or you want a deeper understanding of what
 you just did, check out `the tutorial
 <https://vdirsyncer.readthedocs.org/en/latest/tutorial.html>`_.
 
+.. [1] The configuration file can also be placed in ``$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vdirsyncer/config`` (normally ``~/.config/vdirsyncer/config``) for XDG-Basedir spec compliance.
+
 Donations
 =========
 
diff --git a/docs/tutorial.rst b/docs/tutorial.rst
index 584feb5..aae6a5f 100644
--- a/docs/tutorial.rst
+++ b/docs/tutorial.rst
@@ -33,9 +33,14 @@ Configuration
     - Take a look at the :doc:`problems` page if anything doesn't work like
       planned.
 
-By default, *vdirsyncer* looks for its configuration file at
-``~/.vdirsyncer/config``. You can use the ``VDIRSYNCER_CONFIG`` environment
-variable to change this path.
+By default, *vdirsyncer* looks for its configuration file in the following
+locations:
+
+- The file pointed to by the ``VDIRSYNCER_CONFIG`` environment variable.
+- ``~/.vdirsyncer/config``.
+- ``$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vdirsyncer/config``, which is normally
+  ``~/.config/vdirsyncer/config``. This is XDG-Basedir compliant, and should
+  help keep your ``$HOME`` clean.
 
 The config file should start with a :ref:`general section <general_config>`,
 where the only required parameter is ``status_path``. The following is a
diff --git a/vdirsyncer/cli.py b/vdirsyncer/cli.py
index 3d93fb5..07a6b6f 100644
--- a/vdirsyncer/cli.py
+++ b/vdirsyncer/cli.py
@@ -278,6 +278,10 @@ def _create_app():
         if 'config' not in ctx.obj:
             fname = expand_path(os.environ.get('VDIRSYNCER_CONFIG',
                                                '~/.vdirsyncer/config'))
+            if not os.path.exists(fname):
+                xdg_config_dir = os.environ.get('XDG_CONFIG_HOME',
+                                                expand_path('~/.config/'))
+                fname = os.path.join(xdg_config_dir, 'vdirsyncer/config')
             try:
                 ctx.obj['config'] = load_config(fname)
             except Exception as e: