diff --git a/internal/commands/util.go b/internal/commands/util.go
index 4950c271b..bab9c70c9 100644
--- a/internal/commands/util.go
+++ b/internal/commands/util.go
@@ -215,13 +215,14 @@ const (
 func loadXEnvCLIConfigValues(cmd *cobra.Command) (configs []string, filters []configuration.FileFilter, err error) {
 	var (
 		filterNames []string
+		result      XEnvCLIResult
 	)
 
-	if configs, _, err = loadXEnvCLIStringSliceValue(cmd, cmdFlagEnvNameConfig, cmdFlagNameConfig); err != nil {
+	if configs, result, err = loadXEnvCLIStringSliceValue(cmd, cmdFlagEnvNameConfig, cmdFlagNameConfig); err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	if configs, err = loadXNormalizedPaths(configs); err != nil {
+	if configs, err = loadXNormalizedPaths(configs, result); err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -236,7 +237,7 @@ func loadXEnvCLIConfigValues(cmd *cobra.Command) (configs []string, filters []co
 	return
 }
 
-func loadXNormalizedPaths(paths []string) ([]string, error) {
+func loadXNormalizedPaths(paths []string, result XEnvCLIResult) ([]string, error) {
 	var (
 		configs, files, dirs []string
 		err                  error
@@ -258,10 +259,15 @@ func loadXNormalizedPaths(paths []string) ([]string, error) {
 			files = append(files, path)
 		default:
 			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-				configs = append(configs, path)
-				files = append(files, path)
+				switch result {
+				case XEnvCLIResultCLIImplicit:
+					continue
+				default:
+					configs = append(configs, path)
+					files = append(files, path)
 
-				continue
+					continue
+				}
 			}
 
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error occurred stating file at path '%s': %w", path, err)
diff --git a/internal/commands/util_test.go b/internal/commands/util_test.go
index 1aa6aaf83..f2306558b 100644
--- a/internal/commands/util_test.go
+++ b/internal/commands/util_test.go
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ func TestLoadXNormalizedPaths(t *testing.T) {
 	ayml := filepath.Join(configdir, "a.yml")
 	byml := filepath.Join(configdir, "b.yml")
 	cyml := filepath.Join(otherdir, "c.yml")
+	dyml := filepath.Join(otherdir, "d.yml")
 
 	file, err = os.Create(ayml)
 
@@ -142,30 +143,44 @@ func TestLoadXNormalizedPaths(t *testing.T) {
 
 	testCases := []struct {
 		name           string
+		haveX          XEnvCLIResult
 		have, expected []string
 		expectedErr    string
 	}{
 		{"ShouldAllowFiles",
+			XEnvCLIResultCLIImplicit, []string{ayml},
 			[]string{ayml},
-			[]string{ayml}, "",
+			"",
+		},
+		{"ShouldSkipFilesNotExistImplicit",
+			XEnvCLIResultCLIImplicit, []string{dyml},
+			[]string(nil),
+			"",
+		},
+		{"ShouldNotErrFilesNotExistExplicit",
+			XEnvCLIResultCLIExplicit, []string{dyml},
+			[]string{dyml},
+			"",
 		},
 		{"ShouldAllowDirectories",
+			XEnvCLIResultCLIImplicit, []string{configdir},
 			[]string{configdir},
-			[]string{configdir}, "",
+			"",
 		},
 		{"ShouldAllowFilesDirectories",
+			XEnvCLIResultCLIImplicit, []string{ayml, otherdir},
 			[]string{ayml, otherdir},
-			[]string{ayml, otherdir}, "",
+			"",
 		},
 		{"ShouldRaiseErrOnOverlappingFilesDirectories",
-			[]string{ayml, configdir},
+			XEnvCLIResultCLIImplicit, []string{ayml, configdir},
 			nil, fmt.Sprintf("failed to load config directory '%s': the config file '%s' is in that directory which is not supported", configdir, ayml),
 		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range testCases {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			actual, actualErr := loadXNormalizedPaths(tc.have)
+			actual, actualErr := loadXNormalizedPaths(tc.have, tc.haveX)
 
 			assert.Equal(t, tc.expected, actual)