diff --git a/pkg/cli/server/root.go b/pkg/cli/server/root.go
index afdc1d1568..77f74e49d1 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/server/root.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/server/root.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"zotregistry.io/zot/pkg/api"
 	"zotregistry.io/zot/pkg/api/config"
 	"zotregistry.io/zot/pkg/api/constants"
+	"zotregistry.io/zot/pkg/common"
 	extconf "zotregistry.io/zot/pkg/extensions/config"
 	"zotregistry.io/zot/pkg/extensions/monitoring"
 	zlog "zotregistry.io/zot/pkg/log"
@@ -736,12 +738,36 @@ func LoadConfiguration(config *config.Config, configPath string) error {
 	// we need another key delimiter.
 	viperInstance := viper.NewWithOptions(viper.KeyDelimiter("::"))
 
-	viperInstance.SetConfigFile(configPath)
+	ext := filepath.Ext(configPath)
 
-	if err := viperInstance.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
-		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("failed to read configuration")
+	/* if file extension is not supported, try everything
+	it's also possible that the filename is starting with a dot eg: ".config". */
+	if !common.Contains(viper.SupportedExts, ext) {
+		ext = ""
+	}
 
-		return err
+	switch ext {
+	case "":
+		log.Info().Msg("config file with no extension, trying all supported config types")
+
+		for _, configType := range viper.SupportedExts {
+			viperInstance.SetConfigType(configType)
+			viperInstance.SetConfigFile(configPath)
+
+			err := viperInstance.ReadInConfig()
+			if err == nil {
+				break
+			}
+
+			log.Debug().Err(err).Str("type", configType).Msg("failed to read configuration with no extension")
+		}
+	default:
+		viperInstance.SetConfigFile(configPath)
+		if err := viperInstance.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
+			log.Error().Err(err).Str("path", configPath).Msg("failed to read configuration")
+
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	metaData := &mapstructure.Metadata{}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/server/root_test.go b/pkg/cli/server/root_test.go
index 98072c1717..0abce6798e 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/server/root_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/server/root_test.go
@@ -121,6 +121,37 @@ func TestVerify(t *testing.T) {
 		So(err, ShouldNotBeNil)
 	})
 
+	Convey("Test verify config with no extension", t, func(c C) {
+		tmpfile, err := os.CreateTemp("", "zot-test*")
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		defer os.Remove(tmpfile.Name()) // clean up
+		content := []byte(`{"log":{}}`)
+		_, err = tmpfile.Write(content)
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		err = tmpfile.Close()
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "verify", tmpfile.Name()}
+		err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
+		So(err, ShouldNotBeNil)
+	})
+
+	Convey("Test verify config with dotted config name", t, func(c C) {
+		tmpfile, err := os.CreateTemp("", ".zot-test*")
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		defer os.Remove(tmpfile.Name()) // clean up
+		content := []byte(`
+log:
+	level: debug
+`)
+		_, err = tmpfile.Write(content)
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		err = tmpfile.Close()
+		So(err, ShouldBeNil)
+		os.Args = []string{"cli_test", "verify", tmpfile.Name()}
+		err = cli.NewServerRootCmd().Execute()
+		So(err, ShouldNotBeNil)
+	})
+
 	Convey("Test verify CVE warn for remote storage", t, func(c C) {
 		tmpfile, err := os.CreateTemp("", "zot-test*.json")
 		So(err, ShouldBeNil)