diff --git a/lib/python/qmk/cli/generate/api.py b/lib/python/qmk/cli/generate/api.py
index 8ab7522a7..285bd90eb 100755
--- a/lib/python/qmk/cli/generate/api.py
+++ b/lib/python/qmk/cli/generate/api.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from qmk.datetime import current_datetime
 from qmk.info import info_json
 from qmk.json_encoders import InfoJSONEncoder
 from qmk.json_schema import json_load
-from qmk.keyboard import list_keyboards
+from qmk.keyboard import find_readme, list_keyboards
 
 
 @cli.argument('-n', '--dry-run', arg_only=True, action='store_true', help="Don't write the data to disk.")
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def generate_api(cli):
         keyboard_dir = v1_dir / 'keyboards' / keyboard_name
         keyboard_info = keyboard_dir / 'info.json'
         keyboard_readme = keyboard_dir / 'readme.md'
-        keyboard_readme_src = Path('keyboards') / keyboard_name / 'readme.md'
+        keyboard_readme_src = find_readme(keyboard_name)
 
         keyboard_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         keyboard_json = json.dumps({'last_updated': current_datetime(), 'keyboards': {keyboard_name: kb_all[keyboard_name]}})
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ def generate_api(cli):
             keyboard_info.write_text(keyboard_json)
             cli.log.debug('Wrote file %s', keyboard_info)
 
-            if keyboard_readme_src.exists():
+            if keyboard_readme_src:
                 copyfile(keyboard_readme_src, keyboard_readme)
                 cli.log.debug('Copied %s -> %s', keyboard_readme_src, keyboard_readme)
 
diff --git a/lib/python/qmk/keyboard.py b/lib/python/qmk/keyboard.py
index e45768556..06c9df874 100644
--- a/lib/python/qmk/keyboard.py
+++ b/lib/python/qmk/keyboard.py
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ from pathlib import Path
 import os
 from glob import glob
 
+import qmk.path
 from qmk.c_parse import parse_config_h_file
 from qmk.json_schema import json_load
 from qmk.makefile import parse_rules_mk_file
-from qmk.path import is_keyboard, under_qmk_firmware
 
 BOX_DRAWING_CHARACTERS = {
     "unicode": {
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ base_path = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "keyboards") + os.path.sep
 def find_keyboard_from_dir():
     """Returns a keyboard name based on the user's current directory.
     """
-    relative_cwd = under_qmk_firmware()
+    relative_cwd = qmk.path.under_qmk_firmware()
 
     if relative_cwd and len(relative_cwd.parts) > 1 and relative_cwd.parts[0] == 'keyboards':
         # Attempt to extract the keyboard name from the current directory
@@ -47,10 +47,23 @@ def find_keyboard_from_dir():
             keymap_index = len(current_path.parts) - current_path.parts.index('keymaps') - 1
             current_path = current_path.parents[keymap_index]
 
-        if is_keyboard(current_path):
+        if qmk.path.is_keyboard(current_path):
             return str(current_path)
 
 
+def find_readme(keyboard):
+    """Returns the readme for this keyboard.
+    """
+    cur_dir = qmk.path.keyboard(keyboard)
+    keyboards_dir = Path('keyboards')
+    while not (cur_dir / 'readme.md').exists():
+        if cur_dir == keyboards_dir:
+            return None
+        cur_dir = cur_dir.parent
+
+    return cur_dir / 'readme.md'
+
+
 def keyboard_folder(keyboard):
     """Returns the actual keyboard folder.
 
@@ -67,7 +80,7 @@ def keyboard_folder(keyboard):
         rules_mk = parse_rules_mk_file(rules_mk_file)
         keyboard = rules_mk.get('DEFAULT_FOLDER', keyboard)
 
-    if not is_keyboard(keyboard):
+    if not qmk.path.is_keyboard(keyboard):
         raise ValueError(f'Invalid keyboard: {keyboard}')
 
     return keyboard