diff --git a/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py b/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
index b7d0fac5be31f..969d16d11e81b 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
+++ b/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
@@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ def bootstrap(help_triggered):
     build.clean = args.clean
 
     try:
-        toml_path = args.config or 'config.toml'
+        toml_path = os.getenv('RUST_BOOTSTRAP_CONFIG') or args.config or 'config.toml'
         if not os.path.exists(toml_path):
             toml_path = os.path.join(build.rust_root, toml_path)
 
@@ -947,6 +947,7 @@ def bootstrap(help_triggered):
     env["SRC"] = build.rust_root
     env["BOOTSTRAP_PARENT_ID"] = str(os.getpid())
     env["BOOTSTRAP_PYTHON"] = sys.executable
+    env["BOOTSTRAP_CONFIG"] = toml_path
     env["BUILD_DIR"] = build.build_dir
     env["RUSTC_BOOTSTRAP"] = '1'
     env["CARGO"] = build.cargo()
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/flags.rs b/src/bootstrap/flags.rs
index cfaa43f397095..47b983868285b 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/flags.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/flags.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 //! This module implements the command-line parsing of the build system which
 //! has various flags to configure how it's run.
 
-use std::fs;
+use std::env;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::process;
 
@@ -433,13 +433,7 @@ Arguments:
         // Get any optional paths which occur after the subcommand
         let paths = matches.free[1..].iter().map(|p| p.into()).collect::<Vec<PathBuf>>();
 
-        let cfg_file = matches.opt_str("config").map(PathBuf::from).or_else(|| {
-            if fs::metadata("config.toml").is_ok() {
-                Some(PathBuf::from("config.toml"))
-            } else {
-                None
-            }
-        });
+        let cfg_file = env::var_os("BOOTSTRAP_CONFIG").map(PathBuf::from);
 
         // All subcommands except `clean` can have an optional "Available paths" section
         if matches.opt_present("verbose") {