diff --git a/.changeset/kind-birds-detect.md b/.changeset/kind-birds-detect.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..55808478
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/kind-birds-detect.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@node-core/doc-kit': minor
+---
+
+Automatically load `doc-kit.config.mjs` from the current working directory when `--config-file` is omitted.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 367f29fd..e1b5d307 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -54,9 +54,11 @@ Commands:
 
 ### `generate`
 
-You must provide either `--target` (one or more generators to run) or
-`--config-file` (which supplies the targets). Running `generate` without either
-exits with an error pointing you to the help output.
+You must provide the input and target generators through CLI options or a
+configuration file. When `--config-file` is omitted, doc-kit automatically
+loads `doc-kit.config.mjs` from the current working directory if it exists. An
+explicit `--config-file` path takes precedence. Running `generate` without a
+usable input and target exits with an error pointing you to the help output.
 
 ```
 Usage: @node-core/doc-kit generate [options]
diff --git a/src/utils/configuration/__tests__/index.test.mjs b/src/utils/configuration/__tests__/index.test.mjs
index 3de2dc08..68151d28 100644
--- a/src/utils/configuration/__tests__/index.test.mjs
+++ b/src/utils/configuration/__tests__/index.test.mjs
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 import assert from 'node:assert';
+import fs, * as fsNamedExports from 'node:fs';
+import { resolve } from 'node:path';
 import { describe, it, mock, beforeEach } from 'node:test';
 
 // Mock dependencies
 const mockParseChangelog = mock.fn(async changelog => [changelog]);
 const mockParseIndex = mock.fn(async index => [index]);
 const mockImportFromURL = mock.fn(async () => ({}));
+const mockExistsSync = mock.fn(() => false);
 
 const createMockConfig = (overrides = {}) => ({
   global: {},
@@ -12,6 +15,10 @@ const createMockConfig = (overrides = {}) => ({
 });
 
 // Mock modules
+mock.module('node:fs', {
+  defaultExport: fs,
+  namedExports: { ...fsNamedExports, existsSync: mockExistsSync },
+});
 mock.module('../../../generators/index.mjs', {
   namedExports: {
     allGenerators: {
@@ -49,9 +56,12 @@ const {
 
 // Helper to reset all mocks
 const resetAllMocks = () => {
-  [mockParseChangelog, mockParseIndex, mockImportFromURL].forEach(m =>
-    m.mock.resetCalls()
-  );
+  [
+    mockParseChangelog,
+    mockParseIndex,
+    mockImportFromURL,
+    mockExistsSync,
+  ].forEach(m => m.mock.resetCalls());
 };
 
 // Helper to count specific function calls
@@ -74,14 +84,34 @@ describe('config.mjs', () => {
         mockImportFromURL.mock.calls[0].arguments[0],
         'path/to/config.mjs'
       );
+      assert.strictEqual(mockExistsSync.mock.calls.length, 0);
+    });
+
+    it('should discover doc-kit.config.mjs in the current directory', async () => {
+      const mockConfig = { custom: 'discovered-config' };
+      const defaultConfigPath = resolve('doc-kit.config.mjs');
+      mockExistsSync.mock.mockImplementationOnce(
+        filePath => filePath === defaultConfigPath
+      );
+      mockImportFromURL.mock.mockImplementationOnce(async () => mockConfig);
+
+      const result = await loadConfigFile();
+
+      assert.deepStrictEqual(result, mockConfig);
+      assert.strictEqual(mockExistsSync.mock.calls.length, 1);
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        mockImportFromURL.mock.calls[0].arguments[0],
+        defaultConfigPath
+      );
     });
 
-    it('should return empty object for falsy paths', async () => {
+    it('should return empty object when no config file is provided or found', async () => {
       for (const falsyValue of ['', null, undefined, 0, false]) {
         const result = await loadConfigFile(falsyValue);
         assert.deepStrictEqual(result, {});
       }
       assert.strictEqual(mockImportFromURL.mock.calls.length, 0);
+      assert.strictEqual(mockExistsSync.mock.calls.length, 5);
     });
   });
 
diff --git a/src/utils/configuration/index.mjs b/src/utils/configuration/index.mjs
index e04c0bba..ac1530b6 100644
--- a/src/utils/configuration/index.mjs
+++ b/src/utils/configuration/index.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
+import { existsSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { cpus } from 'node:os';
+import { resolve } from 'node:path';
 import { isMainThread } from 'node:worker_threads';
 
 import { coerce } from 'semver';
@@ -12,6 +14,8 @@ import { leftHandAssign } from '../generators.mjs';
 import { importFromURL } from '../loaders.mjs';
 import { deepMerge, lazy } from '../misc.mjs';
 
+const DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE = 'doc-kit.config.mjs';
+
 /**
  * Get's the default configuration
  */
@@ -54,11 +58,17 @@ export const getDefaultConfig = lazy(config =>
 /**
  * Loads a configuration file from a URL or file path.
  *
- * @param {string} filePath - The URL or file path to the configuration file
+ * @param {string} [filePath] - The URL or file path to the configuration file
  * @returns {Promise<Partial<import('./types').Configuration>>} The imported configuration object, or an empty object if no path provided
  */
-export const loadConfigFile = filePath =>
-  filePath ? importFromURL(filePath) : {};
+export const loadConfigFile = async filePath => {
+  if (filePath) {
+    return importFromURL(filePath);
+  }
+
+  const defaultConfigPath = resolve(DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE);
+  return existsSync(defaultConfigPath) ? importFromURL(defaultConfigPath) : {};
+};
 
 /**
  * Transforms configuration values that need async processing or coercion.