diff --git a/sopel/cli/run.py b/sopel/cli/run.py
index f569391d0..66fbf3406 100755
--- a/sopel/cli/run.py
+++ b/sopel/cli/run.py
@@ -219,18 +219,17 @@ def get_configuration(options):
     .. seealso::
 
        The configuration file is loaded by
-       :func:`~sopel.cli.run.utils.load_settings` or created using the
-       configuration wizard.
+       :func:`~sopel.cli.run.utils.load_settings`
 
     """
     try:
         settings = utils.load_settings(options)
     except config.ConfigurationNotFound as error:
-        print(
-            "Welcome to Sopel!\n"
-            "I can't seem to find the configuration file, "
-            "so let's generate it!\n")
-        settings = utils.wizard(error.filename)
+        raise config.ConfigurationError(
+            "%s\n"
+            "If you're just setting up Sopel, welcome! "
+            "You can use `sopel configure` to get started easily." % error
+        )
 
     settings._is_daemonized = options.daemonize
     return settings
diff --git a/sopel/cli/utils.py b/sopel/cli/utils.py
index e6d68a22e..ebcee052b 100644
--- a/sopel/cli/utils.py
+++ b/sopel/cli/utils.py
@@ -198,47 +198,55 @@ def enumerate_configs(config_dir, extension='.cfg'):
             yield item
 
 
-def find_config(config_dir, name, extension='.cfg'):
+def find_config(config_dir: str, name: str, extension: str = '.cfg') -> str:
     """Build the absolute path for the given configuration file ``name``.
 
-    :param str config_dir: path to the configuration directory
-    :param str name: configuration file ``name``
-    :param str extension: configuration file's extension (default to ``.cfg``)
-    :return: the path of the configuration file, either in the current
-             directory or from the ``config_dir`` directory
+    :param config_dir: path to the configuration directory
+    :param name: configuration file ``name``
+    :param extension: configuration file's extension (defaults to ``.cfg``)
+    :return: the absolute path to the configuration file, either in the current
+             directory or in the ``config_dir`` directory
 
-    This function tries different locations:
+    This function appends the extension if absent before checking the following:
 
-    * the current directory
-    * the ``config_dir`` directory with the ``extension`` suffix
-    * the ``config_dir`` directory without a suffix
+    * If ``name`` is an absolute path, it is returned whether it exists or not
+    * If ``name`` exists in the ``config_dir``, the absolute path is returned
+    * If ``name`` exists in the current directory, its absolute path is returned
+    * Otherwise, the path to the nonexistent file within ``config_dir`` is returned
 
     Example::
 
         >>> from sopel.cli import utils
         >>> from sopel import config
+        >>> os.getcwd()
+        '/sopel'
         >>> os.listdir()
         ['local.cfg', 'extra.ini']
         >>> os.listdir(config.DEFAULT_HOMEDIR)
-        ['config.cfg', 'extra.ini', 'plugin.cfg', 'README']
+        ['config.cfg', 'extra.ini', 'logs', 'plugins']
         >>> utils.find_config(config.DEFAULT_HOMEDIR, 'local.cfg')
-        'local.cfg'
-        >>> utils.find_config(config.DEFAULT_HOMEDIR, 'local')
-        '/home/username/.sopel/local'
+        '/sopel/local.cfg'
         >>> utils.find_config(config.DEFAULT_HOMEDIR, 'config')
         '/home/username/.sopel/config.cfg'
         >>> utils.find_config(config.DEFAULT_HOMEDIR, 'extra', '.ini')
         '/home/username/.sopel/extra.ini'
 
+    .. versionchanged:: 8.0
+        Files in the ``config_dir`` are now preferred, and files without the
+        requested extension are no longer returned.
+
     """
-    if os.path.isfile(name):
+    if not name.endswith(extension):
+        name = name + extension
+
+    if os.path.isabs(name):
+        return name
+    conf_dir_name = os.path.join(config_dir, name)
+    if os.path.isfile(conf_dir_name):
+        return conf_dir_name
+    elif os.path.isfile(name):
         return os.path.abspath(name)
-    name_ext = name + extension
-    for filename in enumerate_configs(config_dir, extension):
-        if name_ext == filename:
-            return os.path.join(config_dir, name_ext)
-
-    return os.path.join(config_dir, name)
+    return conf_dir_name
 
 
 def add_common_arguments(parser):
diff --git a/test/cli/test_cli_run.py b/test/cli/test_cli_run.py
index a9bb39b6a..59e61827d 100644
--- a/test/cli/test_cli_run.py
+++ b/test/cli/test_cli_run.py
@@ -215,7 +215,9 @@ def test_get_configuration(tmpdir):
     ]))
 
     parser = build_parser()
-    options = parser.parse_args(['start', '-c', 'default.cfg'])
+    options = parser.parse_args(
+        ['start', '-c', str(working_dir.join('default.cfg'))]
+    )
 
     with cd(working_dir.strpath):
         result = get_configuration(options)
diff --git a/test/cli/test_cli_utils.py b/test/cli/test_cli_utils.py
index 7a005773c..89ec4fc52 100644
--- a/test/cli/test_cli_utils.py
+++ b/test/cli/test_cli_utils.py
@@ -118,7 +118,10 @@ def test_find_config_local(tmpdir, config_dir):
         assert found_config == working_dir.join('local.cfg').strpath
 
         found_config = find_config(config_dir.strpath, 'local')
-        assert found_config == config_dir.join('local').strpath
+        assert found_config == working_dir.join('local.cfg').strpath
+
+        found_config = find_config(config_dir.strpath, 'config')
+        assert found_config == config_dir.join('config.cfg').strpath
 
 
 def test_find_config_default(tmpdir, config_dir):