diff --git a/watcher/common/config.py b/watcher/common/config.py
index 5ca04e3ff..967821843 100644
--- a/watcher/common/config.py
+++ b/watcher/common/config.py
@@ -21,12 +21,15 @@ from watcher.common import rpc
 from watcher import version
 
 
-def parse_args(argv, default_config_files=None):
+def parse_args(argv, default_config_files=None, default_config_dirs=None):
     default_config_files = (default_config_files or
                             cfg.find_config_files(project='watcher'))
+    default_config_dirs = (default_config_dirs or
+                           cfg.find_config_dirs(project='watcher'))
     rpc.set_defaults(control_exchange='watcher')
     cfg.CONF(argv[1:],
              project='python-watcher',
              version=version.version_info.release_string(),
+             default_config_dirs=default_config_dirs,
              default_config_files=default_config_files)
     rpc.init(cfg.CONF)