diff --git a/R/settings_utils.R b/R/settings_utils.R
index f5f024ae0..3ca34d415 100644
--- a/R/settings_utils.R
+++ b/R/settings_utils.R
@@ -34,14 +34,21 @@ is_root <- function(path) {
   identical(path, dirname(path))
 }
 
-is_directory <- function(filename) {
-  is_dir <- file.info(filename)$isdir
-
-  !is.na(is_dir) && is_dir
-}
-
-has_config <- function(path, config) {
-  file.exists(file.path(path, config))
+is_directory <- function(filename) isTRUE(file.info(filename)$isdir)
+
+#' Return the first of a vector of files that exists.
+#'
+#' Avoid running 'expensive' [file.exists()] for the full vector,
+#'   since typically the first entries will lead to early exit.
+#' TODO(#2204): check if the implementation should be simpler
+#' @noRd
+first_exists <- function(files) {
+  for (file in files) {
+    if (file.exists(file)) {
+      return(file)
+    }
+  }
+  NULL
 }
 
 find_config <- function(filename) {
@@ -61,12 +68,14 @@ find_config <- function(filename) {
     dirname(filename)
   }
 
+  path <- normalizePath(path, mustWork = FALSE)
+
   # NB: This vector specifies a priority order for where to find the configs,
   # i.e. the first location where a config exists is chosen and configs which
   # may exist in subsequent directories are ignored
   file_locations <- c(
     # Local (incl. parent) directories
-    find_config2(path),
+    find_local_config(path, basename(linter_file)),
     # User directory
     # cf: rstudio@bc9b6a5 SessionRSConnect.R#L32
     file.path(Sys.getenv("HOME", unset = "~"), linter_file),
@@ -74,31 +83,24 @@ find_config <- function(filename) {
     file.path(R_user_dir("lintr", which = "config"), "config")
   )
 
-  # Search through locations, return first valid result
-  for (loc in file_locations) {
-    if (file.exists(loc)) {
-      return(loc)
-    }
-  }
-
-  NULL
+  first_exists(file_locations)
 }
 
-find_config2 <- function(path) {
-  config <- basename(getOption("lintr.linter_file"))
-  path <- normalizePath(path, mustWork = FALSE)
-
-  while (!has_config(path, config)) {
-    gh <- file.path(path, ".github", "linters")
-    if (has_config(gh, config)) {
-      return(file.path(gh, config))
+find_local_config <- function(path, config_file) {
+  repeat {
+    guesses_in_dir <- c(
+      file.path(path, config_file),
+      file.path(path, ".github", "linters", config_file)
+    )
+    found <- first_exists(guesses_in_dir)
+    if (!is.null(found)) {
+      return(found)
     }
     path <- dirname(path)
     if (is_root(path)) {
       return(character())
     }
   }
-  return(file.path(path, config))
 }
 
 pkg_name <- function(path = find_package()) {