diff --git a/docs/autogen_config.py b/docs/autogen_config.py
index f84d99113..da5105a55 100644
--- a/docs/autogen_config.py
+++ b/docs/autogen_config.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
+import os.path
 from qtconsole.qtconsoleapp import JupyterQtConsoleApp
 
 header = """\
@@ -34,6 +35,8 @@ enter::
 
 """
 
-with open("source/config.rst", 'w') as f:
+destination = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'source/config.rst')
+
+with open(destination, 'w') as f:
     f.write(header)
     f.write(JupyterQtConsoleApp().document_config_options())
diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index 15b3927fc..dd3589596 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ import shlex
 # documentation root, use os.path.abspath to make it absolute, like shown here.
 #sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('.'))
 
+if os.environ.get('READTHEDOCS', ''):
+
+    # Readthedocs doesn't run our Makefile, so we do this to force it to generate
+    # the config docs.
+    with open('../autogen_config.py') as f:
+        exec(compile(f.read(), '../autogen_config.py', 'exec'), {})
+
 # -- General configuration ------------------------------------------------
 
 # If your documentation needs a minimal Sphinx version, state it here.