diff --git a/tests/test_config.py b/tests/test_config.py
index 4a9a9075..7a4902d1 100644
--- a/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_config.py
@@ -147,6 +147,27 @@ def test_config_merging_missing():
     assert result["ignore_names"] == ["name1"]
 
 
+def test_config_merging_toml_paths_only():
+    """
+    If we have paths in the TOML but not on the CLI, the TOML paths should be
+    used.
+    """
+    toml = StringIO(
+        dedent(
+            """\
+        [tool.vulture]
+        paths = ["path1", "path2"]
+        """
+        )
+    )
+    cliargs = [
+        "--exclude=test_*.py"
+    ]
+    result = make_config(cliargs, toml)
+    assert result["paths"] == ["path1", "path2"]
+    assert result["exclude"] == ["test_*.py"]
+
+
 def test_invalid_config_options_output():
     """
     If the config file contains unknown options we want to abort.
diff --git a/vulture/config.py b/vulture/config.py
index 45ae0c38..a9a222e8 100644
--- a/vulture/config.py
+++ b/vulture/config.py
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ def csv(exclude):
         "paths",
         nargs="*",
         metavar="PATH",
+        default=missing,
         help="Paths may be Python files or directories. For each directory"
         " Vulture analyzes all contained *.py files.",
     )