diff --git a/services/issue/template.go b/services/issue/template.go
index 4f1e3d93a0..b6ae077987 100644
--- a/services/issue/template.go
+++ b/services/issue/template.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func GetTemplateConfig(gitRepo *git.Repository, path string, commit *git.Commit)
 		return GetDefaultTemplateConfig(), err
 	}
 
-	issueConfig := api.IssueConfig{}
+	issueConfig := GetDefaultTemplateConfig()
 	if err := yaml.Unmarshal(configContent, &issueConfig); err != nil {
 		return GetDefaultTemplateConfig(), err
 	}
diff --git a/tests/integration/api_issue_config_test.go b/tests/integration/api_issue_config_test.go
index f3dc663f3b..b9125438b6 100644
--- a/tests/integration/api_issue_config_test.go
+++ b/tests/integration/api_issue_config_test.go
@@ -15,38 +15,167 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/tests"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
 
-func TestAPIReposGetDefaultIssueConfig(t *testing.T) {
-	defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()
+func createIssueConfig(t *testing.T, user *user_model.User, repo *repo_model.Repository, issueConfig map[string]any) {
+	config, err := yaml.Marshal(issueConfig)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-	repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 1})
-	owner := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: repo.OwnerID})
+	err = createOrReplaceFileInBranch(user, repo, ".gitea/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config.yaml", repo.DefaultBranch, string(config))
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+}
 
-	urlStr := fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/issue_config", owner.Name, repo.Name)
+func getIssueConfig(t *testing.T, owner, repo string) api.IssueConfig {
+	urlStr := fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/issue_config", owner, repo)
 	req := NewRequest(t, "GET", urlStr)
 	resp := MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
 
 	var issueConfig api.IssueConfig
 	DecodeJSON(t, resp, &issueConfig)
 
-	assert.True(t, issueConfig.BlankIssuesEnabled)
-	assert.Equal(t, issueConfig.ContactLinks, make([]api.IssueConfigContactLink, 0))
+	return issueConfig
 }
 
-func TestAPIReposValidateDefaultIssueConfig(t *testing.T) {
+func TestAPIRepoGetIssueConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()
 
-	repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 1})
+	repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 49})
+	owner := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: repo.OwnerID})
+
+	t.Run("Default", func(t *testing.T) {
+		issueConfig := getIssueConfig(t, owner.Name, repo.Name)
+
+		assert.True(t, issueConfig.BlankIssuesEnabled)
+		assert.Len(t, issueConfig.ContactLinks, 0)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("DisableBlankIssues", func(t *testing.T) {
+		config := make(map[string]any)
+		config["blank_issues_enabled"] = false
+
+		createIssueConfig(t, owner, repo, config)
+
+		issueConfig := getIssueConfig(t, owner.Name, repo.Name)
+
+		assert.False(t, issueConfig.BlankIssuesEnabled)
+		assert.Len(t, issueConfig.ContactLinks, 0)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("ContactLinks", func(t *testing.T) {
+		contactLink := make(map[string]string)
+		contactLink["name"] = "TestName"
+		contactLink["url"] = "https://example.com"
+		contactLink["about"] = "TestAbout"
+
+		config := make(map[string]any)
+		config["contact_links"] = []map[string]string{contactLink}
+
+		createIssueConfig(t, owner, repo, config)
+
+		issueConfig := getIssueConfig(t, owner.Name, repo.Name)
+
+		assert.True(t, issueConfig.BlankIssuesEnabled)
+		assert.Len(t, issueConfig.ContactLinks, 1)
+
+		assert.Equal(t, "TestName", issueConfig.ContactLinks[0].Name)
+		assert.Equal(t, "https://example.com", issueConfig.ContactLinks[0].URL)
+		assert.Equal(t, "TestAbout", issueConfig.ContactLinks[0].About)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("Full", func(t *testing.T) {
+		contactLink := make(map[string]string)
+		contactLink["name"] = "TestName"
+		contactLink["url"] = "https://example.com"
+		contactLink["about"] = "TestAbout"
+
+		config := make(map[string]any)
+		config["blank_issues_enabled"] = false
+		config["contact_links"] = []map[string]string{contactLink}
+
+		createIssueConfig(t, owner, repo, config)
+
+		issueConfig := getIssueConfig(t, owner.Name, repo.Name)
+
+		assert.False(t, issueConfig.BlankIssuesEnabled)
+		assert.Len(t, issueConfig.ContactLinks, 1)
+
+		assert.Equal(t, "TestName", issueConfig.ContactLinks[0].Name)
+		assert.Equal(t, "https://example.com", issueConfig.ContactLinks[0].URL)
+		assert.Equal(t, "TestAbout", issueConfig.ContactLinks[0].About)
+	})
+}
+
+func TestAPIRepoIssueConfigPaths(t *testing.T) {
+	defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()
+
+	repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 49})
+	owner := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: repo.OwnerID})
+
+	templateConfigCandidates := []string{
+		".gitea/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config",
+		".gitea/issue_template/config",
+		".github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/config",
+		".github/issue_template/config",
+	}
+
+	for _, canidate := range templateConfigCandidates {
+		for _, extension := range []string{".yaml", ".yml"} {
+			fullPath := canidate + extension
+			t.Run(fullPath, func(t *testing.T) {
+				configMap := make(map[string]any)
+				configMap["blank_issues_enabled"] = false
+
+				configData, err := yaml.Marshal(configMap)
+				assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+				_, err = createFileInBranch(owner, repo, fullPath, repo.DefaultBranch, string(configData))
+				assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+				issueConfig := getIssueConfig(t, owner.Name, repo.Name)
+
+				assert.False(t, issueConfig.BlankIssuesEnabled)
+				assert.Len(t, issueConfig.ContactLinks, 0)
+
+				_, err = deleteFileInBranch(owner, repo, fullPath, repo.DefaultBranch)
+				assert.NoError(t, err)
+			})
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAPIRepoValidateIssueConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	defer tests.PrepareTestEnv(t)()
+
+	repo := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &repo_model.Repository{ID: 49})
 	owner := unittest.AssertExistsAndLoadBean(t, &user_model.User{ID: repo.OwnerID})
 
 	urlStr := fmt.Sprintf("/api/v1/repos/%s/%s/issue_config/validate", owner.Name, repo.Name)
-	req := NewRequest(t, "GET", urlStr)
-	resp := MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
 
-	var issueConfigValidation api.IssueConfigValidation
-	DecodeJSON(t, resp, &issueConfigValidation)
+	t.Run("Valid", func(t *testing.T) {
+		req := NewRequest(t, "GET", urlStr)
+		resp := MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
 
-	assert.True(t, issueConfigValidation.Valid)
-	assert.Empty(t, issueConfigValidation.Message)
+		var issueConfigValidation api.IssueConfigValidation
+		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &issueConfigValidation)
+
+		assert.True(t, issueConfigValidation.Valid)
+		assert.Empty(t, issueConfigValidation.Message)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("Invalid", func(t *testing.T) {
+		config := make(map[string]any)
+		config["blank_issues_enabled"] = "Test"
+
+		createIssueConfig(t, owner, repo, config)
+
+		req := NewRequest(t, "GET", urlStr)
+		resp := MakeRequest(t, req, http.StatusOK)
+
+		var issueConfigValidation api.IssueConfigValidation
+		DecodeJSON(t, resp, &issueConfigValidation)
+
+		assert.False(t, issueConfigValidation.Valid)
+		assert.NotEmpty(t, issueConfigValidation.Message)
+	})
 }
diff --git a/tests/integration/api_repo_file_helpers.go b/tests/integration/api_repo_file_helpers.go
index 27e127fcc8..4350092b8b 100644
--- a/tests/integration/api_repo_file_helpers.go
+++ b/tests/integration/api_repo_file_helpers.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package integration
 import (
 	"strings"
 
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/models"
 	repo_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/repo"
 	user_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/user"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/git"
@@ -29,6 +30,32 @@ func createFileInBranch(user *user_model.User, repo *repo_model.Repository, tree
 	return files_service.ChangeRepoFiles(git.DefaultContext, repo, user, opts)
 }
 
+func deleteFileInBranch(user *user_model.User, repo *repo_model.Repository, treePath, branchName string) (*api.FilesResponse, error) {
+	opts := &files_service.ChangeRepoFilesOptions{
+		Files: []*files_service.ChangeRepoFile{
+			{
+				Operation: "delete",
+				TreePath:  treePath,
+			},
+		},
+		OldBranch: branchName,
+		Author:    nil,
+		Committer: nil,
+	}
+	return files_service.ChangeRepoFiles(git.DefaultContext, repo, user, opts)
+}
+
+func createOrReplaceFileInBranch(user *user_model.User, repo *repo_model.Repository, treePath, branchName, content string) error {
+	_, err := deleteFileInBranch(user, repo, treePath, branchName)
+
+	if err != nil && !models.IsErrRepoFileDoesNotExist(err) {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	_, err = createFileInBranch(user, repo, treePath, branchName, content)
+	return err
+}
+
 func createFile(user *user_model.User, repo *repo_model.Repository, treePath string) (*api.FilesResponse, error) {
 	return createFileInBranch(user, repo, treePath, repo.DefaultBranch, "This is a NEW file")
 }