diff --git a/jrnl/override.py b/jrnl/override.py
index 13b5f88d..8852d511 100644
--- a/jrnl/override.py
+++ b/jrnl/override.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from .config import update_config
+
 # import logging
 def apply_overrides(overrides: list, base_config: dict) -> dict:
     """Unpack CLI provided overrides into the configuration tree.
@@ -9,14 +11,17 @@ def apply_overrides(overrides: list, base_config: dict) -> dict:
     :return: Configuration to be used during runtime with the overrides applied
     :rtype: dict
     """
-    config = base_config.copy()
+    cfg_with_overrides = base_config.copy()
     for pairs in overrides:
 
         key_as_dots, override_value = _get_key_and_value_from_pair(pairs)
         keys = _convert_dots_to_list(key_as_dots)
-        config.update(_recursively_apply(config, keys, override_value))
+        cfg_with_overrides = _recursively_apply(
+            cfg_with_overrides, keys, override_value
+        )
 
-    return config
+    update_config(base_config, cfg_with_overrides, None)
+    return base_config
 
 
 def _get_key_and_value_from_pair(pairs):
@@ -26,7 +31,7 @@ def _get_key_and_value_from_pair(pairs):
 
 def _convert_dots_to_list(key_as_dots):
     keys = key_as_dots.split(".")
-    keys = [k for k in keys if k != ""]
+    keys = [k for k in keys if k != ""]  # remove empty elements
     return keys
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_config.py b/tests/test_config.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 3bbd4889..00000000
--- a/tests/test_config.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,97 +0,0 @@
-import shlex
-import pytest
-from unittest import mock
-
-
-from jrnl.args import parse_args
-from jrnl.jrnl import run
-from jrnl import install
-from jrnl import jrnl
-
-
-@pytest.fixture()
-def minimal_config():
-    cfg = {
-        "colors": {"body": "red", "date": "green"},
-        "default": "/tmp/journal.jrnl",
-        "editor": "vim",
-        "encrypt": False,
-        "journals": {"default": "/tmp/journals/journal.jrnl"},
-    }
-    yield cfg
-
-
-@pytest.fixture()
-def expected_override(minimal_config):
-    exp_out_cfg = minimal_config.copy()
-    exp_out_cfg["editor"] = "nano"
-    exp_out_cfg["journal"] = "/tmp/journals/journal.jrnl"
-    yield exp_out_cfg
-
-
-@mock.patch("sys.stdin.isatty")
-@mock.patch.object(install, "load_or_install_jrnl")
-@mock.patch("subprocess.call")
-def test_override_configured_editor(
-    mock_subprocess_call,
-    mock_load_or_install,
-    mock_isatty,
-    minimal_config,
-    expected_override,
-    capsys,
-):
-    mock_load_or_install.return_value = minimal_config
-    mock_isatty.return_value = True
-
-    cli_args = shlex.split('--config-override editor "nano"')
-    parser = parse_args(cli_args)
-    assert parser.config_override.__len__() == 1
-    assert {"editor": "nano"} in parser.config_override
-
-    def mock_editor_launch(editor):
-        print("%s launched! Success!" % editor)
-
-    with mock.patch.object(
-        jrnl,
-        "_write_in_editor",
-        side_effect=mock_editor_launch("TODO: replace"),
-        return_value="note_contents",
-    ) as mock_write_in_editor:
-        run(parser)
-    mock_write_in_editor.assert_called_once_with(expected_override)
-
-
-@pytest.fixture()
-def expected_color_override(minimal_config):
-    exp_out_cfg = minimal_config.copy()
-    exp_out_cfg["colors"]["body"] = "blue"
-    exp_out_cfg["journal"] = "/tmp/journals/journal.jrnl"
-    yield exp_out_cfg
-
-
-@mock.patch("sys.stdin.isatty")
-@mock.patch(
-    "jrnl.install.load_or_install_jrnl", wraps=jrnl.install.load_or_install_jrnl
-)
-@mock.patch("subprocess.call")
-def test_override_configured_colors(
-    mock_isatty,
-    mock_load_or_install,
-    mock_subprocess_call,
-    minimal_config,
-    expected_color_override,
-    capsys,
-):
-    mock_load_or_install.return_value = minimal_config
-
-    cli_args = shlex.split("--config-override colors.body blue")
-    parser = parse_args(cli_args)
-    assert {"colors.body": "blue"} in parser.config_override
-    with mock.patch.object(
-        jrnl,
-        "_write_in_editor",
-        side_effect=print("side effect!"),
-        return_value="note_contents",
-    ) as mock_write_in_editor:
-        run(parser)
-    mock_write_in_editor.assert_called_once_with(expected_color_override)