diff --git a/hglib/__init__.py b/hglib/__init__.py
--- a/hglib/__init__.py
+++ b/hglib/__init__.py
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@
                            pull=pull, uncompressed=uncompressed,
                            e=ssh, remotecmd=remotecmd, insecure=insecure)
 
+    # insert configs at the front so they don't interfere with positional args
+    cmdconfigs = []
+    for config in configs:
+        cmdconfigs.extend(["--config", config])
+    args = cmdconfigs + args
+
     args.insert(0, HGPATH)
     proc = util.popen(args)
     out, err = proc.communicate()