diff --git a/kak-tree-sitter-config/src/lib.rs b/kak-tree-sitter-config/src/lib.rs
index e4edc42..a9c92cb 100644
--- a/kak-tree-sitter-config/src/lib.rs
+++ b/kak-tree-sitter-config/src/lib.rs
@@ -52,9 +52,13 @@ impl Config {
   }
 
   /// Load the default configuration, the user configuration, and merge both.
-  pub fn load_default_user() -> Result<Self, ConfigError> {
+  pub fn load_default_user(path: Option<impl AsRef<Path>>) -> Result<Self, ConfigError> {
     let mut config = Self::load_default_config()?;
-    match UserConfig::load_from_xdg() {
+    let user_config = match path {
+        Some(p) => UserConfig::load(p),
+        None => UserConfig::load_from_xdg(),
+    };
+    match user_config {
       Ok(user_config) => {
         config.merge_user_config(user_config)?;
       }
@@ -448,7 +452,7 @@ impl UserConfig {
   }
 
   /// Load the configuration from a given path.
-  fn load(path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<Self, ConfigError> {
+  pub fn load(path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<Self, ConfigError> {
     let path = path.as_ref();
 
     log::debug!("loading configuration at {path}", path = path.display());
diff --git a/kak-tree-sitter/src/cli.rs b/kak-tree-sitter/src/cli.rs
index b8102cd..923312c 100644
--- a/kak-tree-sitter/src/cli.rs
+++ b/kak-tree-sitter/src/cli.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ pub struct Cli {
   #[clap(short, long)]
   pub server: bool,
 
+  /// Specify a custom path for the user config.
+  #[clap(short, long)]
+  pub user_config: Option<String>,
+
   /// Try to daemonize, if not already done.
   #[clap(short, long)]
   pub daemonize: bool,
diff --git a/kak-tree-sitter/src/main.rs b/kak-tree-sitter/src/main.rs
index bee9698..cbd7b39 100644
--- a/kak-tree-sitter/src/main.rs
+++ b/kak-tree-sitter/src/main.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ fn start() -> Result<(), OhNo> {
     }
   }
 
-  let config = Config::load_default_user()?;
+  let config = Config::load_default_user(cli.user_config.as_ref())?;
 
   // inject rc if we start from Kakoune
   if cli.kakoune && cli.init.is_some() {
diff --git a/kak-tree-sitter/src/server.rs b/kak-tree-sitter/src/server.rs
index f3b7723..000c81d 100644
--- a/kak-tree-sitter/src/server.rs
+++ b/kak-tree-sitter/src/server.rs
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ impl Server {
     log::debug!("creating IO handler");
     let io_handler = IOHandler::new(
       config,
+      cli.user_config.clone(),
       cli.is_standalone(),
       cli.with_highlighting || config.features.highlighting,
       resources,
@@ -165,6 +166,7 @@ struct IOHandler {
   connections: HashMap<Token, BufferedClient>,
   enqueue_response: EnqueueResponse,
   handler: Handler,
+  user_config_path: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl IOHandler {
@@ -173,6 +175,7 @@ impl IOHandler {
 
   fn new(
     config: &Config,
+    user_config_path: Option<String>,
     is_standalone: bool,
     with_highlighting: bool,
     resources: ServerResources,
@@ -203,6 +206,7 @@ impl IOHandler {
       connections,
       enqueue_response,
       handler,
+      user_config_path,
     })
   }
 
@@ -450,7 +454,7 @@ impl IOHandler {
   }
 
   fn reload(&mut self) {
-    let config = match Config::load_default_user() {
+    let config = match Config::load_default_user(self.user_config_path.as_ref()) {
       Ok(config) => config,
       Err(err) => {
         log::error!("reloading config failed: {err}");
diff --git a/ktsctl/src/cli.rs b/ktsctl/src/cli.rs
index dfac5c3..09f86f3 100644
--- a/ktsctl/src/cli.rs
+++ b/ktsctl/src/cli.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ pub struct Cli {
   #[clap(long)]
   pub verbose: bool,
 
+  #[clap(short, long)]
+  pub user_config: Option<String>,
+
   #[clap(subcommand)]
   pub cmd: Cmd,
 }
diff --git a/ktsctl/src/main.rs b/ktsctl/src/main.rs
index f9a3499..f823633 100644
--- a/ktsctl/src/main.rs
+++ b/ktsctl/src/main.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ fn start() -> Result<(), HellNo> {
     simple_logger::init_with_level(log::Level::Debug)?;
   }
 
-  let config = Config::load_default_user()?;
+  let config = Config::load_default_user(cli.user_config.as_ref())?;
   log::debug!("ktsctl configuration:\n{config:#?}");
 
   match cli.cmd {