diff --git a/reno/config.py b/reno/config.py
index 03ae26b..3aa6583 100644
--- a/reno/config.py
+++ b/reno/config.py
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ class Config(object):
             if os.path.isfile(filename):
                 break
         else:
-            LOG.info('no configuration file in: %s', ', '.join(filenames))
+            self._report_missing_config_files(filenames)
             return
 
         try:
@@ -226,10 +226,20 @@ class Config(object):
                 self._contents = yaml.safe_load(fd)
             LOG.info('loaded configuration file %s', filename)
         except IOError as err:
-            LOG.warning('did not load config file %s: %s', filename, err)
+            self._report_failure_config_file(filename, err)
         else:
             self.override(**self._contents)
 
+    def _report_missing_config_files(self, filenames):
+        # NOTE(dhellmann): This is extracted so we can mock it for
+        # testing.
+        LOG.info('no configuration file in: %s', ', '.join(filenames))
+
+    def _report_failure_config_file(self, filename, err):
+        # NOTE(dhellmann): This is extracted so we can mock it for
+        # testing.
+        LOG.warning('did not load config file %s: %s', filename, err)
+
     def _rename_prelude_section(self, **kwargs):
         key = 'prelude_section_name'
         if key in kwargs and kwargs[key] != self._OPTS[key].default:
diff --git a/reno/tests/test_config.py b/reno/tests/test_config.py
index 39cf94e..6251aa7 100644
--- a/reno/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/reno/tests/test_config.py
@@ -73,9 +73,10 @@ collapse_pre_releases: false
         self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
 
     def test_load_file_not_present(self):
-        with mock.patch.object(config.LOG, 'info') as logger:
+        missing = 'reno.config.Config._report_missing_config_files'
+        with mock.patch(missing) as error_handler:
             config.Config(self.tempdir.path)
-            self.assertEqual(1, logger.call_count)
+            self.assertEqual(1, error_handler.call_count)
 
     def _test_load_file(self, config_path):
         with open(config_path, 'w') as fd: