diff --git a/cli/tests/integration/publish_tests.rs b/cli/tests/integration/publish_tests.rs
index a28736fac8..e185065aa5 100644
--- a/cli/tests/integration/publish_tests.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/integration/publish_tests.rs
@@ -71,6 +71,16 @@ itest!(successful {
   temp_cwd: true,
 });
 
+itest!(config_file_jsonc {
+  args: "publish --token 'sadfasdf'",
+  output: "publish/deno_jsonc.out",
+  cwd: Some("publish/deno_jsonc"),
+  copy_temp_dir: Some("publish/deno_jsonc"),
+  envs: env_vars_for_registry(),
+  http_server: true,
+  temp_cwd: true,
+});
+
 itest!(workspace_all {
   args: "publish --token 'sadfasdf'",
   output: "publish/workspace.out",
diff --git a/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc.out b/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2d5e4ffea6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc.out
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Checking fast check type graph for errors...
+Ensuring type checks...
+Check file:///[WILDCARD]/publish/deno_jsonc/mod.ts
+Publishing @foo/bar@1.0.0 ...
+Successfully published @foo/bar@1.0.0
+Visit http://127.0.0.1:4250/@foo/bar@1.0.0 for details
diff --git a/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc/deno.jsonc b/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc/deno.jsonc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4c9dfb08cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc/deno.jsonc
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  // It's .jsonc file so it can have comments
+  "name": "@foo/bar",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "exports": {
+    ".": "./mod.ts"
+  },
+  "imports": {
+    "@std/http": "./std_http.ts"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc/mod.ts b/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc/mod.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4bb6da2555
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc/mod.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import http from "@std/http";
+
+export function foobar(): { fileServer(): void } {
+  return http.fileServer;
+}
diff --git a/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc/std_http.ts b/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc/std_http.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9d57b36f34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/tests/testdata/publish/deno_jsonc/std_http.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+// temp until we get jsr:@std/http in the test server
+export default {
+  fileServer() {
+    console.log("Hi");
+  },
+};
diff --git a/cli/tests/testdata/publish/missing_deno_json.out b/cli/tests/testdata/publish/missing_deno_json.out
index adaf33ea8b..adb472c715 100644
--- a/cli/tests/testdata/publish/missing_deno_json.out
+++ b/cli/tests/testdata/publish/missing_deno_json.out
@@ -1 +1 @@
-error: Failed to read deno.json file at [WILDCARD]missing_deno_json[WILDCARD]
\ No newline at end of file
+error: Couldn't find a deno.json or a deno.jsonc configuration file in [WILDCARD]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/cli/tools/registry/mod.rs b/cli/tools/registry/mod.rs
index 2be90bf520..d635ccf555 100644
--- a/cli/tools/registry/mod.rs
+++ b/cli/tools/registry/mod.rs
@@ -819,18 +819,22 @@ pub async fn publish(
     });
 
   let directory_path = cli_factory.cli_options().initial_cwd();
-  // TODO: doesn't handle jsonc
-  let deno_json_path = directory_path.join("deno.json");
-  let deno_json = ConfigFile::read(&deno_json_path).with_context(|| {
-    format!(
-      "Failed to read deno.json file at {}",
-      deno_json_path.display()
-    )
-  })?;
+
+  let cli_options = cli_factory.cli_options();
+  let Some(config_file) = cli_options.maybe_config_file() else {
+    bail!(
+      "Couldn't find a deno.json or a deno.jsonc configuration file in {}.",
+      directory_path.display()
+    );
+  };
 
   let (publish_order_graph, prepared_package_by_name) =
-    prepare_packages_for_publishing(&cli_factory, deno_json, import_map)
-      .await?;
+    prepare_packages_for_publishing(
+      &cli_factory,
+      config_file.clone(),
+      import_map,
+    )
+    .await?;
 
   if prepared_package_by_name.is_empty() {
     bail!("No packages to publish");