diff --git a/secop/server.py b/secop/server.py
index 4dae2f3..7a64739 100644
--- a/secop/server.py
+++ b/secop/server.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 """Define helpers"""
 
 import os
+from os.path import join, exists, dirname, isdir
 import ast
 import time
 import threading
@@ -93,11 +94,7 @@ class Server:
         merged_cfg = OrderedDict()
         ambiguous_sections = set()
         for cfgfile in cfgfiles.split(','):
-            if cfgfile.endswith('.cfg') and os.path.exists(cfgfile):
-                filename = cfgfile
-            else:
-                filename = os.path.join(cfg['confdir'], cfgfile + '.cfg')
-            cfgdict = self.loadCfgFile(filename)
+            cfgdict = self.loadCfgFile(cfgfile)
             ambiguous_sections |= set(merged_cfg) & set(cfgdict)
             merged_cfg.update(cfgdict)
         self.node_cfg = merged_cfg.pop('NODE', {})
@@ -114,9 +111,22 @@ class Server:
         if ambiguous_sections:
             self.log.warning('ambiguous sections in %s: %r' % (cfgfiles, tuple(ambiguous_sections)))
         self._cfgfiles = cfgfiles
-        self._pidfile = os.path.join(cfg['piddir'], name + '.pid')
+        self._pidfile = join(cfg['piddir'], name + '.pid')
 
-    def loadCfgFile(self, filename):
+    def loadCfgFile(self, cfgfile):
+        if not cfgfile.endswith('.cfg'):
+            cfgfile += '.cfg'
+        if '/' in cfgfile:  # specified as full path
+            filename = cfgfile if exists(cfgfile) else None
+        else:
+            cfg = getGeneralConfig()
+            for filename in [join(d, cfgfile) for d in cfg['confdir'].split(':')]:
+                if exists(filename):
+                    break
+            else:
+                filename = None
+        if filename is None:
+            raise ConfigError("Couldn't find cfg file %r" % cfgfile)
         self.log.debug('Parse config file %s ...' % filename)
         result = OrderedDict()
         parser = configparser.ConfigParser()
@@ -154,8 +164,8 @@ class Server:
     def start(self):
         if not DaemonContext:
             raise ConfigError('can not daemonize, as python-daemon is not installed')
-        piddir = os.path.dirname(self._pidfile)
-        if not os.path.isdir(piddir):
+        piddir = dirname(self._pidfile)
+        if not isdir(piddir):
             os.makedirs(piddir)
         pidfile = pidlockfile.TimeoutPIDLockFile(self._pidfile)