diff --git a/lib/utils/config/definitions.js b/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
index 86e07aee74e71..74a4c6b8dc6aa 100644
--- a/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
+++ b/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
@@ -1129,7 +1129,11 @@ define('location', {
   description: `
     When passed to \`npm config\` this refers to which config file to use.
   `,
-  flatten,
+  flatten: (key, obj, flatOptions) => {
+    flatten(key, obj, flatOptions)
+    if (flatOptions.global)
+      flatOptions.location = 'global'
+  },
 })
 
 define('loglevel', {
diff --git a/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js b/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
index 63d9bbd195ab2..a32e55c29f8d6 100644
--- a/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
+++ b/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
@@ -812,19 +812,23 @@ t.test('location', t => {
     location: 'user',
   }
   const flat = {}
+  // the global flattener is what sets location, so run that
+  definitions.global.flatten('global', obj, flat)
   definitions.location.flatten('location', obj, flat)
   // global = true sets location in both places to global
-  t.strictSame(flat, { location: 'global' })
-  t.strictSame(obj, { global: true, location: 'global' })
+  t.strictSame(flat, { global: true, location: 'global' })
+  // location here is still 'user' because flattening doesn't modify the object
+  t.strictSame(obj, { global: true, location: 'user' })
 
   obj.global = false
   obj.location = 'user'
   delete flat.global
   delete flat.location
 
+  definitions.global.flatten('global', obj, flat)
   definitions.location.flatten('location', obj, flat)
   // global = false leaves location unaltered
-  t.strictSame(flat, { location: 'user' })
+  t.strictSame(flat, { global: false, location: 'user' })
   t.strictSame(obj, { global: false, location: 'user' })
   t.end()
 })