diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4aa1ee0..0c46f18 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -18,11 +18,18 @@ A small command-line helper for managing Docspell import folders, archiving file
 - A running Docspell instance.
 - A password command, for example [`pass`](https://www.passwordstore.org/), that prints the Docspell password to stdout.
 - FUSE support for the `mount` command, including `fusermount` or `fusermount3` for unmounting.
-- A configuration file at `~/docspell-cli.json`.
+- A configuration file at `${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-~/.config}/docspell-cli/config.json`.
 
 ## Configuration
 
-Create `~/docspell-cli.json`. See [docspell-cli-example.json](./docspell-cli-example.json) for a complete example.
+Create `${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-~/.config}/docspell-cli/config.json`. See [docspell-cli-example.json](./docspell-cli-example.json) for a complete example.
+
+```bash
+mkdir -p "${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/docspell-cli"
+cp docspell-cli-example.json "${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/docspell-cli/config.json"
+```
+
+For compatibility, the legacy `~/docspell-cli.json` file is still read if the XDG config file does not exist, but the tool will print a warning asking you to move it.
 
 ```json
 {
@@ -84,7 +91,7 @@ Uploaded files are not archived immediately. They are re-checked on the next run
 
 ## Read-only FUSE mount
 
-The `mount` subcommand exposes Docspell search results as a read-only filesystem. It uses the same `~/docspell-cli.json` file and password command as the import/archive command.
+The `mount` subcommand exposes Docspell search results as a read-only filesystem. It uses the same XDG config file and password command as the import/archive command.
 
 Set `mountPath` in the config to define the default mount point and `mountQuery` to define the default Docspell query.
 
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 94915eb..feff79e 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -120,18 +120,19 @@ func newCLIParser() (*flaggy.Parser, cliCommands) {
 }
 
 func loadConfigAndPassword() (config, string) {
-	homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+	configFile, legacyTarget, err := configFilePath()
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Println("Error getting user home directory:", err)
+		fmt.Println("Error finding config directory:", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
-
-	configFile := filepath.Join(homeDir, "docspell-cli.json")
 	configData, err := os.ReadFile(configFile)
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Println("Error reading config file:", err)
+		fmt.Printf("Error reading config file %s: %v\n", configFile, err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
+	if legacyTarget != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Warning: using legacy config file %s; move it to %s\n", configFile, legacyTarget)
+	}
 
 	var cfg config
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(configData, &cfg); err != nil {
@@ -149,6 +150,29 @@ func loadConfigAndPassword() (config, string) {
 	return cfg, strings.TrimSpace(string(password))
 }
 
+func configFilePath() (path string, legacyTarget string, err error) {
+	configDir, err := os.UserConfigDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", "", err
+	}
+	xdgPath := filepath.Join(configDir, "docspell-cli", "config.json")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(xdgPath); err == nil {
+		return xdgPath, "", nil
+	} else if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return xdgPath, "", nil
+	}
+
+	homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		return xdgPath, "", nil
+	}
+	legacyPath := filepath.Join(homeDir, "docspell-cli.json")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(legacyPath); err == nil {
+		return legacyPath, xdgPath, nil
+	}
+	return xdgPath, "", nil
+}
+
 func runImportCommand(cfg config, password string, args []string) {
 	options, err := parseImportOptions(args)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/main_test.go b/main_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2dc4c71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestConfigFilePathUsesXDGConfigDir(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("HOME", t.TempDir())
+	t.Setenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME", t.TempDir())
+
+	got, legacy, err := configFilePath()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	want := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME"), "docspell-cli", "config.json")
+	if got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("expected %q, got %q", want, got)
+	}
+	if legacy != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no legacy fallback, got %q", legacy)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestConfigFilePathFallsBackToLegacyHomeFile(t *testing.T) {
+	home := t.TempDir()
+	xdg := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config")
+	t.Setenv("HOME", home)
+	t.Setenv("XDG_CONFIG_HOME", xdg)
+	legacyPath := filepath.Join(home, "docspell-cli.json")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(legacyPath, []byte("{}"), 0644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	got, legacy, err := configFilePath()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if got != legacyPath {
+		t.Fatalf("expected legacy path %q, got %q", legacyPath, got)
+	}
+	wantLegacy := filepath.Join(xdg, "docspell-cli", "config.json")
+	if legacy != wantLegacy {
+		t.Fatalf("expected XDG target %q, got %q", wantLegacy, legacy)
+	}
+}