diff --git a/gcalcli/argparsers.py b/gcalcli/argparsers.py
index 93fab5d..5cd6483 100644
--- a/gcalcli/argparsers.py
+++ b/gcalcli/argparsers.py
@@ -17,6 +17,19 @@
 from .details import DETAILS
 from .printer import valid_color_name
 
+
+def shorten_path(path: pathlib.Path) -> pathlib.Path:
+    """Try to shorten path using special characters like ~.
+
+    Returns original path unmodified if it can't be shortened.
+    """
+    tilde_home = pathlib.Path('~')
+    expanduser_len = len(tilde_home.expanduser().parts)
+    if path.parts[:expanduser_len] == tilde_home.expanduser().parts:
+        return tilde_home.joinpath(*path.parts[expanduser_len:])
+    return path
+
+
 PROGRAM_OPTIONS = {
     '--client-id': {'default': None, 'type': str, 'help': 'API client_id'},
     '--client-secret': {
@@ -33,7 +46,7 @@
         'is no longer supported.',
     },
     '--config-folder': {
-        'default': env.default_config_dir(),
+        'default': shorten_path(env.default_config_dir()),
         'type': pathlib.Path,
         'help': 'Optional directory used to load config files. Deprecated: '
         'prefer $GCALCLI_CONFIG.',
@@ -314,18 +327,6 @@ class RawDescArgDefaultsHelpFormatter(
 """
 
 
-def shorten_path(path: pathlib.Path) -> pathlib.Path:
-    """Try to shorten path using special characters like ~.
-
-    Returns original path unmodified if it can't be shortened.
-    """
-    tilde_home = pathlib.Path('~')
-    expanduser_len = len(tilde_home.expanduser().parts)
-    if path.parts[:expanduser_len] == tilde_home.expanduser().parts:
-        return tilde_home.joinpath(*path.parts[expanduser_len:])
-    return path
-
-
 @parser_allow_deprecated(name='program')
 def get_argument_parser():
     config_dir = shorten_path(env.default_config_dir())
diff --git a/tests/cli/test.bats b/tests/cli/test.bats
index 416f323..d5fa32d 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test.bats
+++ b/tests/cli/test.bats
@@ -1,10 +1,18 @@
 setup() {
   load 'test_helper/bats-support/load'
   load 'test_helper/bats-assert/load'
+  load 'test_helper/bats-file/load'
   load 'test_helper/bats-snapshot/load'
+
+  TEST_HOME_DIR="$(temp_make)"
+  export HOME="$TEST_HOME_DIR"
   export GCALCLI_USERLESS_MODE=1
 }
 
+function teardown() {
+  temp_del "$TEST_HOME_DIR"
+}
+
 @test "can run" {
   run gcalcli
   assert_equal $status 2