diff --git a/project.el b/project.el
index 2ec9007037e71ef845baf54a772dd44f2b380fa9..a1310e264d997110d59b483d535a5b012d903717 100644
--- a/project.el
+++ b/project.el
@@ -49,6 +49,6 @@
              "// Free Software Foundation, Inc.,\n"
              "// 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.\n"))
 
-(let ((local-conf (expand-file-name "project-local.el" ccide-project-root)))
-  (if (file-readable-p local-conf)
+(let ((local-conf (ccide-project-search-upwards "project-local.el")))
+  (if local-conf
       (load-file local-conf)))