diff --git a/vndk/tools/header-checker/src/diff/header_abi_diff.cpp b/vndk/tools/header-checker/src/diff/header_abi_diff.cpp
index 0ce370362..224f522c9 100644
--- a/vndk/tools/header-checker/src/diff/header_abi_diff.cpp
+++ b/vndk/tools/header-checker/src/diff/header_abi_diff.cpp
@@ -213,7 +213,10 @@ bool ShouldEmitWarningMessage(CompatibilityStatusIR status) {
 int main(int argc, const char **argv) {
   llvm::cl::ParseCommandLineOptions(argc, argv, "header-checker");
 
-  ReadConfigFile(GetConfigFilePath(old_dump));
+  const std::string config_file_path = GetConfigFilePath(old_dump);
+  if (llvm::sys::fs::exists(config_file_path)) {
+    ReadConfigFile(config_file_path);
+  }
 
   std::set<std::string> ignored_symbols;
   if (llvm::sys::fs::exists(ignore_symbol_list)) {
diff --git a/vndk/tools/header-checker/src/utils/config_file.cpp b/vndk/tools/header-checker/src/utils/config_file.cpp
index c6a8eb2d2..e3efb6555 100644
--- a/vndk/tools/header-checker/src/utils/config_file.cpp
+++ b/vndk/tools/header-checker/src/utils/config_file.cpp
@@ -72,10 +72,7 @@ bool ConfigFile::Load(std::istream &istream) {
 
 bool ConfigFile::Load(const std::string &path) {
   std::ifstream stream(path);
-  if (stream.is_open()) {
-    return Load(stream);
-  }
-  return false;
+  return stream && Load(stream);
 }
 
 }  // namespace utils