TypeError: Cannot read property 'readJson' of undefined

**Node version**: v10.15.0
**Sails version** _(sails)_: 1.2.2

I created a new app with `--no-front-end` as I only want REST API functionality.
When trying to use `sails lift`

I get the following error:
`TypeError: Cannot read property 'readJson' of undefined`

This is the traceback:
`at Object.module.exports.bootstrap (\config\bootstrap.js:40:55)
at \node_modules\sails\lib\app\private\bootstrap.js:73:34
at Sails.runBootstrap (\node_modules\sails\lib\app\private\bootstrap.js:97:5)
at Sails.wrapper [as runBootstrap] (\node_modules\@sailshq\lodash\lib\index.js:3275:19)
at Sails.initialize (\node_modules\sails\lib\app\private\initialize.js:67:9)
at Sails.wrapper [as initialize] (\node_modules\@sailshq\lodash\lib\index.js:3275:19)
at \node_modules\sails\lib\app\lift.js:63:13
at \node_modules\sails\node_modules\async\dist\async.js:3853:24
at replenish (\node_modules\sails\node_modules\async\dist\async.js:946:17)
at iterateeCallback (\node_modules\sails\node_modules\async\dist\async.js:931:17)
at \node_modules\sails\node_modules\async\dist\async.js:906:16
at \node_modules\sails\node_modules\async\dist\async.js:3858:13
at \node_modules\sails\lib\app\load.js:279:13
at \node_modules\sails\node_modules\async\dist\async.js:421:16
at processQueue (\node_modules\sails\node_modules\async\dist\async.js:1565:20)
at taskComplete (\node_modules\sails\node_modules\async\dist\async.js:1588:9)`

I haven't done anything else since creating new project.

Start with config/bootstrap.js:40 in a newly generated app created with --no-front-end, then reproduce with sails lift under Node v10.15.0 and Sails 1.2.2. Trace why the readJson call has an undefined receiver; done means a fresh REST-only app lifts without this TypeError.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.