diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4250466..15c351e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ### next
 
-* TODO: Replace this bullet point with an actual description of a change.
+* Do not eager load the configuration (#6)
 
 ### 1.4.0 (3 January 2025)
 
diff --git a/lib/countless.rb b/lib/countless.rb
index 6c46f05..1198b83 100644
--- a/lib/countless.rb
+++ b/lib/countless.rb
@@ -15,11 +15,15 @@
 
 # The top level namespace for the countless gem.
 module Countless
+  # Configure the relative gem code base location
+  root_path = Pathname.new("#{__dir__}/countless")
+
   # Setup a Zeitwerk autoloader instance and configure it
   loader = Zeitwerk::Loader.for_gem
 
   # Do not automatically load the Rake tasks
   loader.ignore("#{__dir__}/countless/rake_tasks.rb")
+  loader.do_not_eager_load(root_path.join('configuration.rb'))
 
   # Finish the auto loader configuration
   loader.setup
diff --git a/lib/countless/configuration.rb b/lib/countless/configuration.rb
index c1bf345..631078f 100644
--- a/lib/countless/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/countless/configuration.rb
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ class Configuration
     # prefix to all relative path/file configurations.
     config_accessor(:base_path) do
       # Check for a Rake invoked call
-      if defined? Rake
+      if defined?(Rake) && Rake.respond_to?(:application)
         path = Rake.application.rakefile_location
-        path = Rake.application.original_dir unless path.present?
-        next path
+        path ||= Rake.application.original_dir
+        next path if path.present?
       end
 
       # Check for Rails as fallback