diff --git a/scripts/check_eggs.py b/scripts/check_eggs.py
index bb830ee1ba6..e3717069cd4 100644
--- a/scripts/check_eggs.py
+++ b/scripts/check_eggs.py
@@ -10,12 +10,22 @@ import os, sys, logging
 from optparse import OptionParser
 
 parser = OptionParser()
-parser.add_option( '-c', '--config', dest='config', help='Path to Galaxy config file (config/galaxy.ini)', default='config/galaxy.ini' )
+parser.add_option( '-c', '--config', dest='config', help='Path to Galaxy config file (config/galaxy.ini)', default=None )
 parser.add_option( '-q', '--quiet', dest='quiet', action="store_true", help='Quiet (no output, only set return code)', default=False )
 ( options, args ) = parser.parse_args()
 
-if not os.path.exists( options.config ):
-    print "Config file does not exist (see 'python %s --help'): %s" % ( sys.argv[0], options.config )
+
+config_set = True
+config = options.config
+if config is None:
+    config_set = False
+    for name in ['config/galaxy.ini', 'universe_wsgi.ini', 'config/galaxy.ini.sample']:
+        if os.path.exists(name):
+            config = name
+            break
+
+if not os.path.exists( config ):
+    print "Config file does not exist (see 'python %s --help'): %s" % ( sys.argv[0], config )
     sys.exit( 1 )
 
 root = logging.getLogger()
@@ -23,15 +33,15 @@ root.setLevel( 10 )
 root.addHandler( logging.StreamHandler( sys.stdout ) )
 
 config_arg = ''
-if options.config != 'config/galaxy.ini':
-    config_arg = '-c %s' % options.config
+if config_set:
+    config_arg = '-c %s' % config
 
 lib = os.path.abspath( os.path.join( os.path.dirname( __file__ ), "..", "lib" ) )
 sys.path.append( lib )
 
 from galaxy.eggs import Crate
 
-c = Crate( options.config )
+c = Crate( config )
 if c.config_missing:
     if not options.quiet:
         print "Some of your Galaxy eggs are out of date.  Please update them"
diff --git a/scripts/fetch_eggs.py b/scripts/fetch_eggs.py
index 1b840d9c9d7..f96596f6ee7 100755
--- a/scripts/fetch_eggs.py
+++ b/scripts/fetch_eggs.py
@@ -9,13 +9,22 @@ import os, sys, logging
 from optparse import OptionParser
 
 parser = OptionParser()
-parser.add_option( '-c', '--config', dest='config', help='Path to Galaxy config file (config/galaxy.ini)', default='config/galaxy.ini' )
+parser.add_option( '-c', '--config', dest='config', help='Path to Galaxy config file (config/galaxy.ini)', default=None )
 parser.add_option( '-e', '--egg-name', dest='egg_name', help='Egg name (as defined in eggs.ini) to fetch, or "all" for all eggs, even those not needed by your configuration' )
 parser.add_option( '-p', '--platform', dest='platform', help='Fetch for a specific platform (by default, eggs are fetched for *this* platform' )
 ( options, args ) = parser.parse_args()
 
-if not os.path.exists( options.config ):
-    print "Config file does not exist (see 'python %s --help'): %s" % ( sys.argv[0], options.config )
+config_set = True
+config = options.config
+if config is None:
+    config_set = False
+    for name in ['config/galaxy.ini', 'universe_wsgi.ini', 'config/galaxy.ini.sample']:
+        if os.path.exists(name):
+            config = name
+            break
+
+if not os.path.exists( config ):
+    print "Config file does not exist (see 'python %s --help'): %s" % ( sys.argv[0], config )
     sys.exit( 1 )
 
 root = logging.getLogger()
@@ -29,9 +38,9 @@ from galaxy.eggs import Crate, EggNotFetchable
 import pkg_resources
 
 if options.platform:
-    c = Crate( options.config, platform = options.platform )
+    c = Crate( config, platform = options.platform )
 else:
-    c = Crate( options.config )
+    c = Crate( config )
 try:
     if not options.egg_name:
         c.resolve() # Only fetch eggs required by the config
@@ -49,8 +58,8 @@ try:
         print "%s %s is installed at %s" % ( dist.project_name, dist.version, dist.location )
 except EggNotFetchable, e:
     config_arg = ''
-    if options.config != 'config/galaxy.ini':
-        config_arg = '-c %s ' % options.config
+    if config_set:
+        config_arg = '-c %s ' % config
     try:
         assert options.egg_name != 'all'
         egg = e.eggs[0]