diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 33346a65d..cf3062b04 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -188,20 +188,11 @@ func getConfigHome(opts *rootOptions) (string, error) {
 		return absHome, nil
 	}
 
-	envHome := os.Getenv(constants.KitopsHomeEnvVar)
-	if envHome != "" {
-		output.Debugf("Using config directory from environment variable: %s", envHome)
-		absHome, err := filepath.Abs(envHome)
-		if err != nil {
-			return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to get absolute path for %s: %w", constants.KitopsHomeEnvVar, err)
-		}
-		return absHome, nil
-	}
-
-	defaultHome, err := constants.DefaultConfigPath()
+	configHome, err := constants.ConfigPath()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
-	output.Debugf("Using default config directory: %s", defaultHome)
-	return defaultHome, nil
+
+	output.Debugf("Using config directory: %s", configHome)
+	return configHome, nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/lib/constants/consts.go b/pkg/lib/constants/consts.go
index 85b2b272c..30e8fad7f 100644
--- a/pkg/lib/constants/consts.go
+++ b/pkg/lib/constants/consts.go
@@ -81,6 +81,21 @@ func IsDefaultKitfileName(filename string) bool {
 	return false
 }
 
+// ConfigPath returns the configured root storage directory. KITOPS_HOME takes
+// precedence over the platform-specific default path.
+func ConfigPath() (string, error) {
+	envHome := os.Getenv(KitopsHomeEnvVar)
+	if envHome != "" {
+		absHome, err := filepath.Abs(envHome)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to get absolute path for %s: %w", KitopsHomeEnvVar, err)
+		}
+		return absHome, nil
+	}
+
+	return DefaultConfigPath()
+}
+
 // DefaultConfigPath returns the default configuration and cache directory for the CLI.
 // This is platform-dependent, using
 //   - $XDG_DATA_HOME/kitops on Linux, with fall back to $HOME/.local/share/kitops
diff --git a/pkg/lib/constants/consts_test.go b/pkg/lib/constants/consts_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b797e36d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/lib/constants/consts_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+// Copyright 2024 The KitOps Authors.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package constants
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestConfigPathUsesKitopsHome(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv(KitopsHomeEnvVar, "custom-kitops-home")
+
+	configPath, err := ConfigPath()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	expected, err := filepath.Abs("custom-kitops-home")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, expected, configPath)
+}
+
+func TestConfigPathFallsBackToDefaultConfigPath(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv(KitopsHomeEnvVar, "")
+
+	configPath, err := ConfigPath()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	defaultPath, err := DefaultConfigPath()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, defaultPath, configPath)
+}