diff --git a/lib/cookstyle.rb b/lib/cookstyle.rb
index b5034b36..e22913d6 100644
--- a/lib/cookstyle.rb
+++ b/lib/cookstyle.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,10 @@ def self.config
   require_relative file # not actually relative but require_relative is faster
 end
 
-# stub default value of TargetChefVersion to avoid STDERR noise
-RuboCop::ConfigLoader.default_configuration['AllCops']['TargetChefVersion'] = '~'
+# stub default value of TargetChefVersion to avoid STDERR noise when ConfigLoader.configuration_from_file runs
+RuboCop::ConfigLoader.default_configuration['AllCops']['TargetChefVersion'] ||= nil
 
 RuboCop::ConfigLoader.default_configuration = RuboCop::ConfigLoader.configuration_from_file(Cookstyle.config)
+
+# re-stub TargetChefVersion to avoid STDERR noise on *next* configuration load
+RuboCop::ConfigLoader.default_configuration['AllCops']['TargetChefVersion'] ||= nil