diff --git a/lib/utils/config/definitions.js b/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
index 85d13762eef67..245b9170d56fc 100644
--- a/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
+++ b/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ const buildOmitList = obj => {
 
 const editor = process.env.EDITOR ||
   process.env.VISUAL ||
-  (isWindows ? 'notepad.exe' : 'vi')
+  (isWindows ? `${process.env.SYSTEMROOT}\\notepad.exe` : 'vi')
 
 const shell = isWindows ? process.env.ComSpec || 'cmd'
   : process.env.SHELL || 'sh'
@@ -628,8 +628,8 @@ define('dry-run', {
 define('editor', {
   default: editor,
   defaultDescription: `
-    The EDITOR or VISUAL environment variables, or 'notepad.exe' on Windows,
-    or 'vim' on Unix systems
+    The EDITOR or VISUAL environment variables, or '%SYSTEMROOT%\\notepad.exe' on Windows,
+    or 'vi' on Unix systems
   `,
   type: String,
   description: `
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/docs.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/docs.js.test.cjs
index b1b7d5b6b493e..3c6a1b5025989 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/docs.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/docs.js.test.cjs
@@ -874,8 +874,8 @@ Note: This is NOT honored by other network related commands, eg \`dist-tags\`,
 
 #### \`editor\`
 
-* Default: The EDITOR or VISUAL environment variables, or 'notepad.exe' on
-  Windows, or 'vim' on Unix systems
+* Default: The EDITOR or VISUAL environment variables, or
+  '%SYSTEMROOT%\\notepad.exe' on Windows, or 'vi' on Unix systems
 * Type: String
 
 The command to run for \`npm edit\` and \`npm config edit\`.
diff --git a/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js b/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
index 21eba1617affd..da53ac3aea03f 100644
--- a/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
+++ b/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
@@ -33,9 +33,15 @@ t.test('editor', t => {
     t.end()
   })
   t.test('has neither EDITOR nor VISUAL, system specific', t => {
-    mockGlobals(t, { 'process.env': { EDITOR: undefined, VISUAL: undefined } })
+    mockGlobals(t, {
+      'process.env': {
+        EDITOR: undefined,
+        VISUAL: undefined,
+        SYSTEMROOT: 'C:\\Windows',
+      },
+    })
     const defsWin = mockDefs(isWin(true))
-    t.equal(defsWin.editor.default, 'notepad.exe')
+    t.equal(defsWin.editor.default, 'C:\\Windows\\notepad.exe')
     const defsNix = mockDefs(isWin(false))
     t.equal(defsNix.editor.default, 'vi')
     t.end()