diff --git a/docs/glossary.rst b/docs/glossary.rst
index dd3768f..58484a2 100644
--- a/docs/glossary.rst
+++ b/docs/glossary.rst
@@ -227,21 +227,6 @@ Glossary
      :term:`config settings<config setting>`.  See also
      :doc:`narr/config/table`.
 
-   spec
-     As the term is used in Wutta Project context, this refers to a
-     string designating the import path to a particular object (class,
-     function etc.).
-
-     Also the term implies a certain format, namely a dotted module
-     path followed by colon (``:``), then object name.
-
-     For instance, ``wuttjamaican.app:AppHandler`` is the spec string
-     for the :class:`wuttjamaican.app.AppHandler` class (and note, the
-     hyperlink does not use colon, but our "spec" always does).
-
-     See also :meth:`~wuttjamaican.app.AppHandler.load_object()` (on
-     the :term:`app handler`) which can return any object from spec.
-
    subcommand
      A top-level :term:`command` may expose one or more subcommands,
      for the overall command line interface.  Subcommands are usually
diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/conf.py b/src/wuttjamaican/conf.py
index 2c71e28..785ce7b 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/conf.py
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/conf.py
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ class WuttaConfig:
         self.files_read = []
         for path in files:
             self._load_ini_configs(path, configs, require=True)
+        log.debug("config files were: %s", self.files_read)
 
         # add config for use w/ setdefault()
         self.defaults = configuration.Configuration(defaults)
@@ -248,10 +249,6 @@ class WuttaConfig:
     def _load_ini_configs(self, path, configs, require=True):
         path = os.path.abspath(path)
 
-        # no need to read a file twice; its first appearance sets priority
-        if path in self.files_read:
-            return
-
         # try to load config from the given path
         try:
             config = configuration.config_from_ini(path, read_from_file=True)
diff --git a/tests/test_conf.py b/tests/test_conf.py
index b5b8771..9ef533e 100644
--- a/tests/test_conf.py
+++ b/tests/test_conf.py
@@ -109,39 +109,6 @@ baz = B
         self.assertIsNone(config.get('foo.bar'))
         self.assertEqual(config.get('foo.baz'), 'B')
 
-    def test_files_only_read_once(self):
-        base = self.write_file('base.conf', """
-[foo]
-bar = 1
-baz = A
-""")
-
-        middle = self.write_file('middle.conf', """
-[wutta.config]
-require = %(here)s/base.conf
-
-[foo]
-baz = B
-""")
-
-        top = self.write_file('top.conf', """
-[wutta.config]
-require = %(here)s/middle.conf
-
-[foo]
-baz = C
-""")
-
-        config = conf.WuttaConfig(files=[top, middle, base])
-        self.assertEqual(len(config.files_read), 3)
-        # nb. files_read listing is in order of "priority" which is
-        # same the as order in which files were initially read
-        self.assertEqual(config.files_read[0], top)
-        self.assertEqual(config.files_read[1], middle)
-        self.assertEqual(config.files_read[2], base)
-        self.assertEqual(config.get('foo.bar'), '1')
-        self.assertEqual(config.get('foo.baz'), 'C')
-
     def test_prioritized_files(self):
         first = self.write_file('first.conf', """\
 [foo]