diff --git a/src/common/config.cpp b/src/common/config.cpp
index 98223fc3e3a..13db98171ae 100644
--- a/src/common/config.cpp
+++ b/src/common/config.cpp
@@ -128,12 +128,14 @@ bool ArgsManager::ReadConfigFiles(std::string& error, bool ignore_invalid_keys)
     }
 
     const auto conf_path{GetConfigFilePath()};
-    std::ifstream stream{conf_path};
-
-    // not ok to have a config file specified that cannot be opened
-    if (IsArgSet("-conf") && !stream.good()) {
-        error = strprintf("specified config file \"%s\" could not be opened.", fs::PathToString(conf_path));
-        return false;
+    std::ifstream stream;
+    if (!conf_path.empty()) { // path is empty when -noconf is specified
+        stream = std::ifstream{conf_path};
+        // If the file is explicitly specified, it must be readable
+        if (IsArgSet("-conf") && !stream.good()) {
+            error = strprintf("specified config file \"%s\" could not be opened.", fs::PathToString(conf_path));
+            return false;
+        }
     }
     // ok to not have a config file
     if (stream.good()) {
@@ -213,7 +215,7 @@ bool ArgsManager::ReadConfigFiles(std::string& error, bool ignore_invalid_keys)
 
 fs::path AbsPathForConfigVal(const ArgsManager& args, const fs::path& path, bool net_specific)
 {
-    if (path.is_absolute()) {
+    if (path.is_absolute() || path.empty()) {
         return path;
     }
     return fsbridge::AbsPathJoin(net_specific ? args.GetDataDirNet() : args.GetDataDirBase(), path);
diff --git a/src/common/init.cpp b/src/common/init.cpp
index 412d73aec70..5a704404689 100644
--- a/src/common/init.cpp
+++ b/src/common/init.cpp
@@ -62,29 +62,36 @@ std::optional<ConfigError> InitConfig(ArgsManager& args, SettingsAbortFn setting
             fs::create_directories(net_path / "wallets");
         }
 
-        // Show an error or warning if there is a bitcoin.conf file in the
+        // Show an error or warn/log if there is a bitcoin.conf file in the
         // datadir that is being ignored.
         const fs::path base_config_path = base_path / BITCOIN_CONF_FILENAME;
-        if (fs::exists(base_config_path) && !fs::equivalent(orig_config_path, base_config_path)) {
-            const std::string cli_config_path = args.GetArg("-conf", "");
-            const std::string config_source = cli_config_path.empty()
-                ? strprintf("data directory %s", fs::quoted(fs::PathToString(orig_datadir_path)))
-                : strprintf("command line argument %s", fs::quoted("-conf=" + cli_config_path));
-            const std::string error = strprintf(
-                "Data directory %1$s contains a %2$s file which is ignored, because a different configuration file "
-                "%3$s from %4$s is being used instead. Possible ways to address this would be to:\n"
-                "- Delete or rename the %2$s file in data directory %1$s.\n"
-                "- Change datadir= or conf= options to specify one configuration file, not two, and use "
-                "includeconf= to include any other configuration files.\n"
-                "- Set allowignoredconf=1 option to treat this condition as a warning, not an error.",
-                fs::quoted(fs::PathToString(base_path)),
-                fs::quoted(BITCOIN_CONF_FILENAME),
-                fs::quoted(fs::PathToString(orig_config_path)),
-                config_source);
-            if (args.GetBoolArg("-allowignoredconf", false)) {
-                LogPrintf("Warning: %s\n", error);
-            } else {
-                return ConfigError{ConfigStatus::FAILED, Untranslated(error)};
+        if (fs::exists(base_config_path)) {
+            if (orig_config_path.empty()) {
+                LogInfo(
+                    "Data directory %s contains a %s file which is explicitly ignored using -noconf.",
+                    fs::quoted(fs::PathToString(base_path)),
+                    fs::quoted(BITCOIN_CONF_FILENAME));
+            } else if (!fs::equivalent(orig_config_path, base_config_path)) {
+                const std::string cli_config_path = args.GetArg("-conf", "");
+                const std::string config_source = cli_config_path.empty()
+                    ? strprintf("data directory %s", fs::quoted(fs::PathToString(orig_datadir_path)))
+                    : strprintf("command line argument %s", fs::quoted("-conf=" + cli_config_path));
+                std::string error = strprintf(
+                    "Data directory %1$s contains a %2$s file which is ignored, because a different configuration file "
+                    "%3$s from %4$s is being used instead. Possible ways to address this would be to:\n"
+                    "- Delete or rename the %2$s file in data directory %1$s.\n"
+                    "- Change datadir= or conf= options to specify one configuration file, not two, and use "
+                    "includeconf= to include any other configuration files.",
+                    fs::quoted(fs::PathToString(base_path)),
+                    fs::quoted(BITCOIN_CONF_FILENAME),
+                    fs::quoted(fs::PathToString(orig_config_path)),
+                    config_source);
+                if (args.GetBoolArg("-allowignoredconf", false)) {
+                    LogWarning("%s", error);
+                } else {
+                    error += "\n- Set allowignoredconf=1 option to treat this condition as a warning, not an error.";
+                    return ConfigError{ConfigStatus::FAILED, Untranslated(error)};
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/init/common.cpp b/src/init/common.cpp
index 8d0b008fb52..8f7a86b6886 100644
--- a/src/init/common.cpp
+++ b/src/init/common.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <util/translation.h>
 
 #include <algorithm>
+#include <filesystem>
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -122,10 +123,11 @@ bool StartLogging(const ArgsManager& args)
 
     // Only log conf file usage message if conf file actually exists.
     fs::path config_file_path = args.GetConfigFilePath();
-    if (fs::exists(config_file_path)) {
+    if (args.IsArgNegated("-conf")) {
+        LogInfo("Config file: <disabled>");
+    } else if (fs::exists(config_file_path)) {
         LogPrintf("Config file: %s\n", fs::PathToString(config_file_path));
     } else if (args.IsArgSet("-conf")) {
-        // Warn if no conf file exists at path provided by user
         InitWarning(strprintf(_("The specified config file %s does not exist"), fs::PathToString(config_file_path)));
     } else {
         // Not categorizing as "Warning" because it's the default behavior