diff --git a/conans/client/command.py b/conans/client/command.py
index 08ce1705ad4..5c482946c73 100644
--- a/conans/client/command.py
+++ b/conans/client/command.py
@@ -1432,9 +1432,14 @@ def workspace(self, *args):
                                          prog="conan workspace")
         subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(dest='subcommand', help='sub-command help')
 
-        install_parser = subparsers.add_parser('install', help='same as a "conan install" command '
-                                               'but using the workspace data from the file')
-        install_parser.add_argument('path', help='path to workspace definition file')
+        install_parser = subparsers.add_parser('install',
+                                               help='same as a "conan install" command'
+                                                    ' but using the workspace data from the file. If'
+                                                    ' no file is provided, it will look for a file'
+                                                    ' named "conanws.yml"')
+        install_parser.add_argument('path', help='path to workspace definition file (it will look'
+                                                 ' for a "conanws.yml" inside if a directory is'
+                                                 ' given)')
         _add_common_install_arguments(install_parser, build_help=_help_build_policies)
 
         args = parser.parse_args(*args)
diff --git a/conans/model/workspace.py b/conans/model/workspace.py
index e8d9762cf3b..3703d0012f8 100644
--- a/conans/model/workspace.py
+++ b/conans/model/workspace.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ def root_folder(self):
 
 
 class Workspace(object):
+    default_filename = "conanws.yml"
 
     def generate(self, cwd, graph, output):
         if self._ws_generator == "cmake":
@@ -90,6 +91,10 @@ def __init__(self, path, cache):
         self._cache = cache
         self._ws_generator = None
         self._workspace_packages = OrderedDict()  # {reference: LocalPackage}
+
+        if not os.path.isfile(path):
+            path = os.path.join(path, self.default_filename)
+
         self._base_folder = os.path.dirname(path)
         try:
             content = load(path)
diff --git a/conans/test/functional/workspace/workspace_test.py b/conans/test/functional/workspace/workspace_test.py
index 0373e6ee6a6..03d7485573a 100644
--- a/conans/test/functional/workspace/workspace_test.py
+++ b/conans/test/functional/workspace/workspace_test.py
@@ -924,3 +924,55 @@ def files(name, depend=None):
         for p in ("HelloC", "HelloB", "HelloA"):
             self.assertIn("add_subdirectory(${PACKAGE_%s_SRC} ${PACKAGE_%s_BUILD})" % (p, p),
                           conanws_cmake)
+
+    def test_default_filename(self):
+        client = TestClient()
+        path_to_editable = os.path.join(client.current_folder, "A")
+
+        project = dedent("""
+            editables:
+                HelloA/0.1@lasote/stable:
+                    path: {path_to_editable}
+            layout: layout
+            workspace_generator: cmake
+            root: HelloA/0.1@lasote/stable
+            """.format(path_to_editable=path_to_editable))
+
+        conanfile = dedent("""
+            from conans import ConanFile
+
+            class Lib(ConanFile):
+                pass
+            """)
+
+        layout = dedent("""
+            [build_folder]
+            [source_folder]
+            """)
+
+        client.save({"conanfile.py": conanfile}, path=path_to_editable)
+        ws_folder = temp_folder()
+        client.save({os.path.join(ws_folder, Workspace.default_filename): project,
+                     os.path.join(ws_folder, "layout"): layout})
+
+        # For the right folder, it works
+        client.run('workspace install "{}"'.format(ws_folder))
+        conanws_cmake = load(os.path.join(client.current_folder, "conanworkspace.cmake"))
+        self.assertIn("macro(conan_workspace_subdirectories)", conanws_cmake)
+
+        # For a non existing folder, it will try to load the default filename (it fails)
+        non_existing = temp_folder()
+        client.run('workspace install "{}"'.format(non_existing), assert_error=True)
+        trial_path = os.path.join(non_existing, Workspace.default_filename)
+        self.assertIn("ERROR: Couldn't load workspace file in {}".format(trial_path), client.out)
+
+        # For an existing file, it will try to use it (will fail because of the format)
+        invalid_file = os.path.join(ws_folder, "layout")
+        client.run('workspace install "{}"'.format(invalid_file), assert_error=True)
+        self.assertIn("ERROR: There was an error parsing", client.out)
+
+        # For an existing folder, without the default file (it will fail looking for it)
+        no_default_file = os.path.join(client.current_folder)
+        client.run('workspace install "{}"'.format(no_default_file), assert_error=True)
+        trial_path = os.path.join(no_default_file, Workspace.default_filename)
+        self.assertIn("ERROR: Couldn't load workspace file in {}".format(trial_path), client.out)