diff --git a/bindings/python-cffi/notmuch2/_build.py b/bindings/python-cffi/notmuch2/_build.py
index d3bb9104..93828627 100644
--- a/bindings/python-cffi/notmuch2/_build.py
+++ b/bindings/python-cffi/notmuch2/_build.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ ffibuilder.cdef(
         NOTMUCH_STATUS_MALFORMED_CRYPTO_PROTOCOL,
         NOTMUCH_STATUS_FAILED_CRYPTO_CONTEXT_CREATION,
         NOTMUCH_STATUS_UNKNOWN_CRYPTO_PROTOCOL,
+        NOTMUCH_STATUS_NO_CONFIG,
         NOTMUCH_STATUS_LAST_STATUS
     } notmuch_status_t;
     typedef enum {
diff --git a/bindings/python-cffi/notmuch2/_errors.py b/bindings/python-cffi/notmuch2/_errors.py
index 13369445..c97d99cb 100644
--- a/bindings/python-cffi/notmuch2/_errors.py
+++ b/bindings/python-cffi/notmuch2/_errors.py
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ class NotmuchError(Exception):
                 PathError,
             capi.lib.NOTMUCH_STATUS_ILLEGAL_ARGUMENT:
                 IllegalArgumentError,
+            capi.lib.NOTMUCH_STATUS_NO_CONFIG:
+                NoConfigError,
         }
         return types[status]
 
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ class UnsupportedOperationError(NotmuchError): pass
 class UpgradeRequiredError(NotmuchError): pass
 class PathError(NotmuchError): pass
 class IllegalArgumentError(NotmuchError): pass
-
+class NoConfigError(NotmuchError): pass
 
 class ObjectDestroyedError(NotmuchError):
     """The object has already been destroyed and it's memory freed.
diff --git a/lib/notmuch.h b/lib/notmuch.h
index 5ec14c38..4f384e58 100644
--- a/lib/notmuch.h
+++ b/lib/notmuch.h
@@ -208,6 +208,10 @@ typedef enum _notmuch_status {
      * something that notmuch doesn't know how to handle.
      */
     NOTMUCH_STATUS_UNKNOWN_CRYPTO_PROTOCOL,
+    /**
+     * Unable to load a config file
+     */
+    NOTMUCH_STATUS_NO_CONFIG,
     /**
      * Not an actual status value. Just a way to find out how many
      * valid status values there are.
diff --git a/lib/open.cc b/lib/open.cc
index 6e8e0f6f..06d079e4 100644
--- a/lib/open.cc
+++ b/lib/open.cc
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ _load_key_file (const char *path,
 
     *key_file = g_key_file_new ();
     if (! g_key_file_load_from_file (*key_file, path, G_KEY_FILE_NONE, NULL)) {
-	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_FILE_ERROR;
+	status = NOTMUCH_STATUS_NO_CONFIG;
     }
 
 DONE: