diff --git a/src/gajim.py b/src/gajim.py
index 486e953d3c10a3b6af4007df6a7b1fdb66b638ba..e8f13239270ec9afdbe24d174792b1ab4579530b 100644
--- a/src/gajim.py
+++ b/src/gajim.py
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ def parseOpts():
 
 import locale
 profile, config_path = parseOpts()
-config_path = unicode(config_path, locale.getpreferredencoding())
+if config_path:
+    config_path = unicode(config_path, locale.getpreferredencoding())
 del parseOpts
 
 profile = unicode(profile, locale.getpreferredencoding())