diff --git a/src/vty/command.c b/src/vty/command.c
index 1719690b7..d37516afe 100644
--- a/src/vty/command.c
+++ b/src/vty/command.c
@@ -3490,6 +3490,7 @@ DEFUN(config_write_file,
       "Write to configuration file\n"
       "Set file path to store the config, or replace if already exists\n")
 {
+	const char *config_file;
 	char *failed_file;
 	int rc;
 
@@ -3503,15 +3504,16 @@ DEFUN(config_write_file,
 	}
 
 	if (argc == 1)
-		host_config_set(argv[0]);
-
-	if (host.config == NULL) {
+		config_file = argv[0];
+	else /* write to the startup config file */
+		config_file = host_config_file();
+	if (config_file == NULL) {
 		vty_out(vty, "Can't save to configuration file, using vtysh.%s",
 			VTY_NEWLINE);
 		return CMD_WARNING;
 	}
 
-	rc = write_config_file(host.config, &failed_file);
+	rc = write_config_file(config_file, &failed_file);
 	switch (rc) {
 	case -1:
 		vty_out(vty, "Can't open configuration file %s.%s",
@@ -3544,7 +3546,7 @@ DEFUN(config_write_file,
 		rc = CMD_WARNING;
 		break;
 	default:
-		vty_out(vty, "Configuration saved to %s%s", host.config, VTY_NEWLINE);
+		vty_out(vty, "Configuration saved to %s%s", config_file, VTY_NEWLINE);
 		rc = CMD_SUCCESS;
 		break;
 	}