diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/StandardConfigDataLocationResolver.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/StandardConfigDataLocationResolver.java
index 2ad27e7207..9956b32195 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/StandardConfigDataLocationResolver.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/StandardConfigDataLocationResolver.java
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ public class StandardConfigDataLocationResolver
 	private Set<StandardConfigDataResource> resolvePatternEmptyDirectories(StandardConfigDataReference reference) {
 		Resource[] subdirectories = this.resourceLoader.getResources(reference.getDirectory(), ResourceType.DIRECTORY);
 		ConfigDataLocation location = reference.getConfigDataLocation();
-		if (location.isOptional() && ObjectUtils.isEmpty(subdirectories)) {
+		if (!location.isOptional() && ObjectUtils.isEmpty(subdirectories)) {
 			String message = String.format("Config data location '%s' contains no subdirectories", location);
 			throw new ConfigDataLocationNotFoundException(location, message, null);
 		}
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigDataEnvironmentPostProcessorIntegrationTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigDataEnvironmentPostProcessorIntegrationTests.java
index d11631b0f5..7372d3627f 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigDataEnvironmentPostProcessorIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/context/config/ConfigDataEnvironmentPostProcessorIntegrationTests.java
@@ -715,7 +715,14 @@ class ConfigDataEnvironmentPostProcessorIntegrationTests {
 	void runWhenMandatoryWildcardLocationHasNoSubdirectories() {
 		assertThatExceptionOfType(ConfigDataLocationNotFoundException.class).isThrownBy(
 				() -> this.application.run("--spring.config.location=file:src/test/resources/config/0-empty/*/"))
-				.withMessage("Config data location 'file:src/test/resources/config/0-empty/*/' cannot be found");
+				.withMessage(
+						"Config data location 'file:src/test/resources/config/0-empty/*/' contains no subdirectories");
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void runWhenOptionalWildcardLocationHasNoSubdirectories() {
+		assertThatNoException().isThrownBy(() -> this.application
+				.run("--spring.config.location=optional:file:src/test/resources/config/0-empty/*/"));
 	}
 
 	@Test