diff --git a/config/__init__.py b/config/__init__.py
index 76297f817..e1bf7f57a 100644
--- a/config/__init__.py
+++ b/config/__init__.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-import os
+from os.path import exists, expanduser
 
 from .config_exception import ConfigException
 from .incluster_config import load_incluster_config
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ def load_config(**kwargs):
     can be passed to either load_kube_config or
     load_incluster_config functions.
     """
-    if "kube_config_path" in kwargs.keys() or os.path.exists(
-            KUBE_CONFIG_DEFAULT_LOCATION):
+    if "kube_config_path" in kwargs.keys() or exists(expanduser(KUBE_CONFIG_DEFAULT_LOCATION)):
         load_kube_config(**kwargs)
     else:
         print(
diff --git a/config/kube_config.py b/config/kube_config.py
index 040234d9c..584b8a416 100644
--- a/config/kube_config.py
+++ b/config/kube_config.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ except ImportError:
     pass
 
 EXPIRY_SKEW_PREVENTION_DELAY = datetime.timedelta(minutes=5)
-KUBE_CONFIG_DEFAULT_LOCATION = os.path.expanduser(os.environ.get('KUBECONFIG', '~/.kube/config'))
+KUBE_CONFIG_DEFAULT_LOCATION = os.environ.get('KUBECONFIG', '~/.kube/config')
 ENV_KUBECONFIG_PATH_SEPARATOR = ';' if platform.system() == 'Windows' else ':'
 _temp_files = {}