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[Bug]: --config <file> fails with "Could not find a config file" when the cwd has no discoverable config (jest-config >= 30.5.1) #16457
Description
Version
30.5.1
Steps to reproduce
mkdir -p /tmp/proj/sub && cd /tmp/proj
npm i -D [email protected]
cat > sub/custom.config.mjs <<'EOF'
export default { rootDir: '.', testMatch: ['**/*.spec.js'] };
EOF
echo "test('ok', () => expect(1).toBe(1));" > sub/a.spec.js
# run from a directory that has NO package.json / jest.config.* in it or any ancestor:
cd "$(mktemp -d)"
/tmp/proj/node_modules/.bin/jest --ci --runInBand --config /tmp/proj/sub/custom.config.mjsExpected behavior
Tests run successfully.
Actual behavior
An error is raised, stating that a config file could not be found.
Error: Could not find a config file based on provided values:
path: "/tmp/tmp.uprzWmvUzT"
cwd: "/tmp/tmp.uprzWmvUzT"
Config paths must be specified by either a direct path to a config
file, or a path to a directory. If directory is given, Jest will try to
traverse directory tree up, until it finds one of those files in exact order: "jest.config.js" or "jest.config.ts" or "jest.config.mjs" or "jest.config.mts" or "jest.config.cjs" or "jest.config.cts" or "jest.config.json".
at resolveConfigPathByTraversing (/tmp/proj/node_modules/jest-config/build/index.js:2596:11)
at resolveConfigPathByTraversing (/tmp/proj/node_modules/jest-config/build/index.js:2600:10)
at resolveConfigPathByTraversing (/tmp/proj/node_modules/jest-config/build/index.js:2600:10)
at resolveConfigPath (/tmp/proj/node_modules/jest-config/build/index.js:2567:10)
at /tmp/proj/node_modules/jest-config/build/index.js:1246:163
at Array.map (<anonymous>)
at readConfigs (/tmp/proj/node_modules/jest-config/build/index.js:1240:8)
at async runCLI (/tmp/proj/node_modules/@jest/core/build/index.js:1420:7)
at async Object.run (/tmp/proj/node_modules/jest-cli/build/index.js:665:9)
Additional context
This is a regression traced to #16411.
Issue can be addressed with the following package patch (targeting jest-config):
diff --git a/build/index.js b/build/index.js
index ba4be77..5fb14d9 100644
--- a/build/index.js
+++ b/build/index.js
@@ -1243,7 +1243,11 @@ async function readConfigs(argv, projectPaths) {
const parentConfigDirname = configPath ? path().dirname(configPath) : cwd;
// The config that supplies the global config must not be validated
// as a project config - its global options are in the right place.
- const suppliesGlobalConfig = globalConfig == null && projectIndex === 0 || configPath != null && typeof root === 'string' && (0, _resolveConfigPath.default)(root, cwd, projectIsCwd) === configPath;
+ const suppliesGlobalConfig = !skipArgvConfigOption || globalConfig == null && projectIndex === 0 || configPath != null && typeof root === 'string' && (0, _resolveConfigPath.default)(root, cwd, projectIsCwd) === configPath;
return readConfig(argv, root, skipArgvConfigOption, parentConfigDirname, projectIndex,
// we wanna skip the warning if this is the "main" project
projectIsCwd, skipArgvConfigOption && !suppliesGlobalConfig);Or worked around by ensuring a package.json exists at or above cwd.
Environment
System:
OS: Linux 6.8 Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS 22.04.5 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)
CPU: (16) x64 Intel(R) Xeon(R) Platinum 8375C CPU @ 2.90GHz
Binaries:
Node: 24.12.0 - /usr/bin/node
Yarn: 1.22.22 - /usr/bin/yarn
npm: 11.6.2 - /usr/bin/npm
pnpm: 12.5.1 - /home/coder/.local/bin/pnpm
Activity
fix(jest-config): stabilize explicit-config regression test across pl…
fix(jest-config): allow --config <file> when cwd has no discoverable …
github-actions commentedon Oct 23, 2026
This issue is stale because it has been open 30 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 30 days.
Silic0nS0ldier commentedon Oct 23, 2026
Not stale
fix(jest-config): allow --config <file> when cwd has no discoverable …
fix(config): allow --config when cwd has no discoverable config (fixes …
fix(jest-config): allow --config <file> when cwd has no discoverable …