diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index c48707fa6e5..287ba9aa348 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@ func main() {
 	app.Flags = append(app.Flags, []cli.Flag{
 		cli.StringFlag{
 			Name:  "config",
-			Value: "grafana.ini",
-			Usage: "path to config file",
+			Usage: "path to grafana.ini config file",
 		},
 	}...)
 	app.Run(os.Args)
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/accounts.go b/pkg/cmd/accounts.go
index f2f8d27cacd..8758cb06e11 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/accounts.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/accounts.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/bus"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/log"
 	m "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/models"
-	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/sqlstore"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/setting"
 	"os"
 	"text/tabwriter"
@@ -34,9 +33,7 @@ var DeleteAccount = cli.Command{
 }
 
 func listAccounts(c *cli.Context) {
-	setting.NewConfigContext()
-	sqlstore.NewEngine()
-	sqlstore.EnsureAdminUser()
+	initRuntime(c)
 
 	accountsQuery := m.GetAccountsQuery{}
 	if err := bus.Dispatch(&accountsQuery); err != nil {
@@ -53,9 +50,7 @@ func listAccounts(c *cli.Context) {
 }
 
 func createAccount(c *cli.Context) {
-	setting.NewConfigContext()
-	sqlstore.NewEngine()
-	sqlstore.EnsureAdminUser()
+	initRuntime(c)
 
 	if !c.Args().Present() {
 		log.ConsoleFatal("Account name arg is required")
@@ -80,9 +75,7 @@ func createAccount(c *cli.Context) {
 }
 
 func deleteAccount(c *cli.Context) {
-	setting.NewConfigContext()
-	sqlstore.NewEngine()
-	sqlstore.EnsureAdminUser()
+	initRuntime(c)
 
 	if !c.Args().Present() {
 		log.ConsoleFatal("Account name arg is required")
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/common.go b/pkg/cmd/common.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..338baa36aac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cmd/common.go
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"github.com/codegangsta/cli"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/sqlstore"
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/setting"
+)
+
+func initRuntime(c *cli.Context) {
+	setting.NewConfigContext(c.GlobalString("config"))
+	sqlstore.NewEngine()
+	sqlstore.EnsureAdminUser()
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/dashboard.go b/pkg/cmd/dashboard.go
index a805e16eccb..eaae9700164 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/dashboard.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/dashboard.go
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/bus"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/log"
 	m "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/models"
-	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/sqlstore"
-	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/setting"
 )
 
 var ImportDashboard = cli.Command{
@@ -48,9 +46,7 @@ func runImport(c *cli.Context) {
 
 	accountName := c.Args().First()
 
-	setting.NewConfigContext()
-	sqlstore.NewEngine()
-	sqlstore.EnsureAdminUser()
+	initRuntime(c)
 
 	accountQuery := m.GetAccountByNameQuery{Name: accountName}
 	if err := bus.Dispatch(&accountQuery); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/datasource.go b/pkg/cmd/datasource.go
index 7e292579227..bdd458e2b5d 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/datasource.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/datasource.go
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/bus"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/log"
 	m "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/models"
-	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/sqlstore"
-	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/setting"
 	"os"
 	"text/tabwriter"
 )
@@ -69,9 +67,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 func createDataSource(c *cli.Context) {
-	setting.NewConfigContext()
-	sqlstore.NewEngine()
-	sqlstore.EnsureAdminUser()
+	initRuntime(c)
 
 	if len(c.Args()) != 3 {
 		log.ConsoleFatal("Missing required arguments")
@@ -131,9 +127,7 @@ func createDataSource(c *cli.Context) {
 }
 
 func listDatasources(c *cli.Context) {
-	setting.NewConfigContext()
-	sqlstore.NewEngine()
-	sqlstore.EnsureAdminUser()
+	initRuntime(c)
 
 	if !c.Args().Present() {
 		log.ConsoleFatal("Account name arg is required")
@@ -163,9 +157,7 @@ func listDatasources(c *cli.Context) {
 }
 
 func describeDataSource(c *cli.Context) {
-	setting.NewConfigContext()
-	sqlstore.NewEngine()
-	sqlstore.EnsureAdminUser()
+	initRuntime(c)
 
 	if len(c.Args()) != 2 {
 		log.ConsoleFatal("Account and datasource name args are required")
@@ -206,9 +198,7 @@ func describeDataSource(c *cli.Context) {
 }
 
 func deleteDataSource(c *cli.Context) {
-	setting.NewConfigContext()
-	sqlstore.NewEngine()
-	sqlstore.EnsureAdminUser()
+	initRuntime(c)
 
 	if len(c.Args()) != 2 {
 		log.ConsoleFatal("Account and datasource name args are required")
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/web.go b/pkg/cmd/web.go
index 1207a3b20ef..b858072398c 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/web.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/web.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/log"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/middleware"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/eventpublisher"
-	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/sqlstore"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/setting"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/social"
 )
@@ -71,10 +70,9 @@ func runWeb(c *cli.Context) {
 	log.Info("Starting Grafana")
 	log.Info("Version: %v, Commit: %v, Build date: %v", setting.BuildVersion, setting.BuildCommit, time.Unix(setting.BuildStamp, 0))
 
-	setting.NewConfigContext()
+	initRuntime(c)
+
 	social.NewOAuthService()
-	sqlstore.NewEngine()
-	sqlstore.EnsureAdminUser()
 	eventpublisher.Init()
 
 	var err error
diff --git a/pkg/setting/setting.go b/pkg/setting/setting.go
index 4d3ef9161c3..01e368abc6f 100644
--- a/pkg/setting/setting.go
+++ b/pkg/setting/setting.go
@@ -164,9 +164,13 @@ func loadEnvVariableOverrides() {
 	}
 }
 
-func NewConfigContext() {
+func NewConfigContext(config string) {
 	configFiles := findConfigFiles()
 
+	if config != "" {
+		configFiles = append(configFiles, config)
+	}
+
 	//log.Info("Loading config files: %v", configFiles)
 	var err error
 
diff --git a/pkg/setting/setting_test.go b/pkg/setting/setting_test.go
index be031e3f4cc..253eb94f123 100644
--- a/pkg/setting/setting_test.go
+++ b/pkg/setting/setting_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ func TestLoadingSettings(t *testing.T) {
 	Convey("Testing loading settings from ini file", t, func() {
 
 		Convey("Given the default ini files", func() {
-			NewConfigContext()
+			NewConfigContext("")
 
 			So(AppName, ShouldEqual, "Grafana")
 			So(AdminUser, ShouldEqual, "admin")
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func TestLoadingSettings(t *testing.T) {
 
 		Convey("Should be able to override via environment variables", func() {
 			os.Setenv("GF_SECURITY_ADMIN_USER", "superduper")
-			NewConfigContext()
+			NewConfigContext("")
 
 			So(AdminUser, ShouldEqual, "superduper")
 		})