diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/SystemReader.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/SystemReader.java
index 59184ff..e16a886 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/SystemReader.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/util/SystemReader.java
@@ -428,9 +428,6 @@
 		updateAll(config.getBaseConfig());
 		if (config instanceof FileBasedConfig) {
 			FileBasedConfig cfg = (FileBasedConfig) config;
-			if (!cfg.getFile().exists()) {
-				return;
-			}
 			if (cfg.isOutdated()) {
 				LOG.debug("loading config {}", cfg); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				cfg.load();