diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ff399936..70350769 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ gem "capistrano", :github => "capistrano/capistrano"
 https://github.com/capistrano/capistrano/compare/v3.7.2...HEAD
 
 * Your contribution here!
+* [#1867](https://github.com/capistrano/capistrano/pull/1867): Allow `cap -T` to run without Capfile present - [@mattbrictson](https://github.com/mattbrictson)
 
 ## `3.8.0` (2017-03-10)
 
diff --git a/features/installation.feature b/features/installation.feature
index 60fca09c..47574262 100644
--- a/features/installation.feature
+++ b/features/installation.feature
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@ Feature: Installation
   Background:
     Given a test app without any configuration
 
+  Scenario: The "install" task documentation can be viewed
+    When I run "cap -T"
+    Then the task is successful
+    And contains "cap install" in the output
+
   Scenario: With default stages
     When I run "cap install"
     Then the deploy.rb file is created
diff --git a/lib/capistrano/application.rb b/lib/capistrano/application.rb
index d1423e14..101a6090 100644
--- a/lib/capistrano/application.rb
+++ b/lib/capistrano/application.rb
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ module Capistrano
     end
 
     def load_imports
-      if options.show_tasks
+      if options.show_tasks && Rake::Task.task_defined?("load:defaults")
         invoke "load:defaults"
         set(:stage, "")
         Dir[deploy_config_path].each { |f| add_import f }