diff --git a/doc/configuration/internal-databases.md b/doc/configuration/internal-databases.md
index 1db21a0f396..6d409ca9bb5 100644
--- a/doc/configuration/internal-databases.md
+++ b/doc/configuration/internal-databases.md
@@ -51,8 +51,9 @@ Namespace for the cluster. Only nodes with the same cluster name would be discov
 
 ### `internal_databases.cets.nodelist_file`
 
-File to read a list of nodes from. Relative to the MongooseIM's config directory. This option is for the file backend.
+File to read a list of nodes from. Relative to the MongooseIM's release directory. This option is for the file backend.
+Required, if `backend = "file"`.
 
 * **Syntax:** path.
-* **Default:** `"cets_disco.txt"`
+* **Default:** not specified.
 * **Example:** `nodelist_file = "/etc/mim_nodes.txt"`
diff --git a/src/config/mongoose_config_spec.erl b/src/config/mongoose_config_spec.erl
index b5893caf872..23a5177b5e6 100644
--- a/src/config/mongoose_config_spec.erl
+++ b/src/config/mongoose_config_spec.erl
@@ -442,12 +442,11 @@ internal_database_cets() ->
        items = #{<<"backend">> => #option{type = atom,
                                           validate = {enum, [file, rdbms]}},
                  <<"cluster_name">> => #option{type = atom, validate = non_empty},
-                 %% Relative to the config directory (or an absolute name)
+                 %% Relative to the release directory (or an absolute name)
                  <<"nodelist_file">> => #option{type = string,
                                                 validate = filename}
                 },
-       defaults = #{<<"backend">> => rdbms, <<"cluster_name">> => mongooseim,
-                    <<"nodelist_file">> => "cets_disco.txt"}
+       defaults = #{<<"backend">> => rdbms, <<"cluster_name">> => mongooseim}
       }.
 
 %% path: internal_databases.*.*
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_sup.erl b/src/ejabberd_sup.erl
index a097b5b64c3..3a358833da6 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_sup.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_sup.erl
@@ -194,10 +194,18 @@ cets_specs() ->
 
 cets_specs(disabled) ->
     [];
-cets_specs(#{backend := DiscoBackend, cluster_name := ClusterName,
-             nodelist_file := NodeFile}) ->
-    ConfigDir = filename:dirname(mongoose_config:get_config_path()),
-    DiscoFile = filename:join(ConfigDir, NodeFile),
+cets_specs(#{backend := DiscoBackend, cluster_name := ClusterName} = Opts) ->
+    DiscoFile =
+        case {DiscoBackend, Opts} of
+            {file, #{nodelist_file := NodeFile}} ->
+                NodeFile;
+            {file, _} ->
+                ?LOG_CRITICAL(#{what => nodelist_file_option_is_required,
+                                text => <<"Specify internal_databases.cets.nodelist_file option">>}),
+                error(nodelist_file_option_is_required);
+            _ ->
+                undefined
+        end,
     DiscoOpts = #{
         backend_module => disco_backend_to_module(DiscoBackend),
         cluster_name => atom_to_binary(ClusterName),
diff --git a/test/common/config_parser_helper.erl b/test/common/config_parser_helper.erl
index 04d5cee0a3e..f535dfdaf23 100644
--- a/test/common/config_parser_helper.erl
+++ b/test/common/config_parser_helper.erl
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ options("miscellaneous") ->
      {hosts, [<<"localhost">>, <<"anonymous.localhost">>]},
      {internal_databases,
           #{cets =>
-                #{backend => rdbms, cluster_name => mongooseim,
-                  nodelist_file => "cets_disco.txt"},
+                #{backend => rdbms, cluster_name => mongooseim},
             mnesia => #{}}},
      {language, <<"en">>},
      {listen,
@@ -140,8 +139,7 @@ options("mongooseim-pgsql") ->
       [<<"localhost">>, <<"anonymous.localhost">>, <<"localhost.bis">>]},
      {internal_databases,
           #{cets =>
-                #{backend => rdbms, cluster_name => mongooseim,
-                  nodelist_file => "cets_disco.txt"},
+                #{backend => rdbms, cluster_name => mongooseim},
             mnesia => #{}}},
      {language, <<"en">>},
      {listen,
diff --git a/test/config_parser_SUITE.erl b/test/config_parser_SUITE.erl
index 32442bbf5ec..5de04465947 100644
--- a/test/config_parser_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/config_parser_SUITE.erl
@@ -1206,6 +1206,8 @@ test_fast_tls_server(P, T) ->
 
 internal_database_cets(_Config) ->
     CetsEnabled = #{<<"internal_databases">> => #{<<"cets">> => #{}}},
+    CetsFile = #{<<"internal_databases">> => #{<<"cets">> =>
+        #{<<"backend">> => <<"file">>, <<"nodelist_file">> => <<"/dev/null">>}}},
     %% No internal_databases section means an empty list of databases
     ?cfg([internal_databases], #{}, #{}), % default
     %% Empty internal_databases could be configured explicitly
@@ -1217,7 +1219,7 @@ internal_database_cets(_Config) ->
          #{<<"internal_databases">> => #{<<"cets">> => #{<<"cluster_name">> => <<"test">>}}}),
 
     ?cfg([internal_databases, cets, cluster_name], mongooseim, CetsEnabled),
-    ?cfg([internal_databases, cets, nodelist_file], "cets_disco.txt", CetsEnabled),
+    ?cfg([internal_databases, cets, nodelist_file], "/dev/null", CetsFile),
     %% If only mnesia section is defined, CETS section is not included
     ?cfg([internal_databases], #{mnesia => #{}},
          #{<<"internal_databases">> => #{<<"mnesia">> => #{}}}),