diff --git a/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py
index 07bf7a69119..6d0292dba15 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/cli/__init__.py
@@ -596,9 +596,7 @@ class CLI(with_metaclass(ABCMeta, object)):
                 self.options.inventory = [unfrackpath(opt) if ',' not in opt else opt for opt in self.options.inventory]
 
             else:
-                # set default if it exists
-                if os.path.exists(C.DEFAULT_HOST_LIST):
-                    self.options.inventory = [C.DEFAULT_HOST_LIST]
+                self.options.inventory = C.DEFAULT_HOST_LIST
 
     @staticmethod
     def version(prog):
diff --git a/lib/ansible/config/base.yml b/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
index 4ba8c460df1..e18f1016331 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
+++ b/lib/ansible/config/base.yml
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ DEFAULT_HOST_LIST:
   expand_relative_paths: True
   ini:
   - {key: inventory, section: defaults}
-  type: path
+  type: pathlist
   yaml: {key: defaults.inventory}
 DEFAULT_INTERNAL_POLL_INTERVAL:
   default: 0.001