diff --git a/spec/config-spec.coffee b/spec/config-spec.coffee
index 02a33bcf2..5ed2ee291 100644
--- a/spec/config-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/config-spec.coffee
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ describe "Config", ->
         # Schema defaults never match a specific source. We could potentially add a special "schema" source.
         expect(atom.config.get("x.y", sources: ["x"], scope: [".foo"])).toBeUndefined()
 
+        expect(atom.config.get(null, sources: ['a'], scope: [".foo"]).x.y).toBe 1
+
     describe "when an 'excludeSources' option is specified", ->
       it "only retrieves values from the specified sources", ->
         atom.config.set("x.y", 1, scopeSelector: ".foo", source: "a")
diff --git a/src/config.coffee b/src/config.coffee
index e9e7843fb..8ddaa3739 100644
--- a/src/config.coffee
+++ b/src/config.coffee
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ class Config
   # file in the type specified by the configuration schema.
   get: ->
     if arguments.length > 1
-      if typeof arguments[0] is 'string'
+      if typeof arguments[0] is 'string' or not arguments[0]?
         keyPath = arguments[0]
         options = arguments[1]
         {scope} = options