diff --git a/src/config/find.ts b/src/config/find.ts
index 08e2254695..7369ca6187 100644
--- a/src/config/find.ts
+++ b/src/config/find.ts
@@ -20,13 +20,24 @@ const findConfig = (): string => {
     return defaultPath;
   }
 
-  // Check for config in current working directory
-  const cwdPath = path.resolve(process.cwd(), 'payload.config.js');
-  if (fs.existsSync(cwdPath)) {
-    return cwdPath;
+  const defaultTSPath = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../../payload.config.ts');
+
+  if (fs.existsSync(defaultTSPath)) {
+    return defaultTSPath;
   }
 
-  throw new Error('Error: cannot find Payload config. Please create a configuration file located at the root of your current working directory called "payload.config.js".');
+  // Check for config in current working directory
+  const cwdJSPath = path.resolve(process.cwd(), 'payload.config.js');
+  if (fs.existsSync(cwdJSPath)) {
+    return cwdJSPath;
+  }
+
+  const cwdTSPath = path.resolve(process.cwd(), 'payload.config.ts');
+  if (fs.existsSync(cwdTSPath)) {
+    return cwdTSPath;
+  }
+
+  throw new Error('Error: cannot find Payload config. Please create a configuration file located at the root of your current working directory called "payload.config.js" or "payload.config.ts".');
 };
 
 export default findConfig;
diff --git a/src/config/load.ts b/src/config/load.ts
index 36cedb8c6c..70f6d98196 100644
--- a/src/config/load.ts
+++ b/src/config/load.ts
@@ -7,12 +7,15 @@ import findConfig from './find';
 const configPath = findConfig();
 const loadConfig = (): Config => {
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
-  const publicConfig = require(configPath);
+  let publicConfig = require(configPath);
+
+  if (publicConfig.default) publicConfig = publicConfig.default;
+
   return {
     ...publicConfig,
     paths: {
-      configDir: path.dirname(configPath),
       ...(publicConfig.paths || {}),
+      configDir: path.dirname(configPath),
       config: configPath,
     },
   };