diff --git a/docs/content/commands/npm-config.md b/docs/content/commands/npm-config.md
index 992e9ef70f1ba..9e76a23671e86 100644
--- a/docs/content/commands/npm-config.md
+++ b/docs/content/commands/npm-config.md
@@ -131,6 +131,14 @@ folder instead of the current working directory. See
 
 The command to run for `npm edit` and `npm config edit`.
 
+#### `location`
+
+* Default: "user" unless `--global` is passed, which will also set this value
+  to "global"
+* Type: "global", "user", or "project"
+
+When passed to `npm config` this refers to which config file to use.
+
 #### `long`
 
 * Default: false
diff --git a/docs/content/using-npm/config.md b/docs/content/using-npm/config.md
index 476db69f2a2e3..c4d1afed35cc8 100644
--- a/docs/content/using-npm/config.md
+++ b/docs/content/using-npm/config.md
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ The following shorthands are parsed on the command-line:
 * `--desc`: `--description`
 * `-f`: `--force`
 * `-g`: `--global`
+* `-L`: `--location`
 * `-d`: `--loglevel info`
 * `-s`: `--loglevel silent`
 * `--silent`: `--loglevel silent`
@@ -758,6 +759,14 @@ Used with `npm ls`, limiting output to only those packages that are linked.
 The IP address of the local interface to use when making connections to the
 npm registry. Must be IPv4 in versions of Node prior to 0.12.
 
+#### `location`
+
+* Default: "user" unless `--global` is passed, which will also set this value
+  to "global"
+* Type: "global", "user", or "project"
+
+When passed to `npm config` this refers to which config file to use.
+
 #### `loglevel`
 
 * Default: "notice"
diff --git a/lib/config.js b/lib/config.js
index d1585f414dca8..a56dd92ffbde6 100644
--- a/lib/config.js
+++ b/lib/config.js
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ class Config extends BaseCommand {
       'json',
       'global',
       'editor',
+      'location',
       'long',
     ]
   }
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ class Config extends BaseCommand {
     if (!args.length)
       throw this.usageError()
 
-    const where = this.npm.config.get('global') ? 'global' : 'user'
+    const where = this.npm.config.get('location')
     for (const [key, val] of Object.entries(keyValues(args))) {
       this.npm.log.info('config', 'set %j %j', key, val)
       this.npm.config.set(key, val || '', where)
@@ -167,16 +168,15 @@ class Config extends BaseCommand {
     if (!keys.length)
       throw this.usageError()
 
-    const where = this.npm.config.get('global') ? 'global' : 'user'
+    const where = this.npm.config.get('location')
     for (const key of keys)
       this.npm.config.delete(key, where)
     await this.npm.config.save(where)
   }
 
   async edit () {
-    const global = this.npm.config.get('global')
     const e = this.npm.config.get('editor')
-    const where = global ? 'global' : 'user'
+    const where = this.npm.config.get('location')
     const file = this.npm.config.data.get(where).source
 
     // save first, just to make sure it's synced up
diff --git a/lib/utils/config/definitions.js b/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
index a82e9b4c17c31..abe6bda70d8bc 100644
--- a/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
+++ b/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
@@ -1108,6 +1108,31 @@ define('local-address', {
   flatten,
 })
 
+define('location', {
+  default: 'user',
+  short: 'L',
+  type: [
+    'global',
+    'user',
+    'project',
+  ],
+  defaultDescription: `
+    "user" unless \`--global\` is passed, which will also set this value to "global"
+  `,
+  description: `
+    When passed to \`npm config\` this refers to which config file to use.
+  `,
+  // NOTE: the flattener here deliberately does not alter the value of global
+  // for now, this is to avoid inadvertently causing any breakage. the value of
+  // global, however, does modify this flag.
+  flatten (key, obj, flatOptions) {
+    // if global is set, we override ourselves
+    if (obj.global)
+      obj.location = 'global'
+    flatOptions.location = obj.location
+  },
+})
+
 define('loglevel', {
   default: 'notice',
   type: [
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/config.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/config.js.test.cjs
index 84418ec2e816d..b5acbb0af94c5 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/config.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/config.js.test.cjs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
  * Make sure to inspect the output below.  Do not ignore changes!
  */
 'use strict'
-exports[`test/lib/config.js TAP config edit --global > should write global config file 1`] = `
+exports[`test/lib/config.js TAP config edit --location=global > should write global config file 1`] = `
 ;;;;
 ; npm globalconfig file: /etc/npmrc
 ; this is a simple ini-formatted file
@@ -92,8 +92,8 @@ cat = true
 chai = true 
 dog = true 
 editor = "vi" 
-global = false 
 json = false 
+location = "user" 
 long = false 
 
 ; node bin location = /path/to/node
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ cat = true
 chai = true 
 dog = true 
 editor = "vi" 
-global = false 
 json = false 
+location = "user" 
 long = true
 `
 
@@ -128,8 +128,8 @@ cat = true
 chai = true 
 dog = true 
 editor = "vi" 
-global = false 
 json = false 
+location = "user" 
 long = false 
 
 ; node bin location = /path/to/node
@@ -145,9 +145,9 @@ cat = true
 chai = true 
 dog = true 
 editor = "vi" 
-global = false 
 init.author.name = "Bar" 
 json = false 
+location = "user" 
 long = false 
 
 ; "user" config from ~/.npmrc
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/load-all-commands.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/load-all-commands.js.test.cjs
index 2c5e80db223b9..8cf2e2837e295 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/load-all-commands.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/load-all-commands.js.test.cjs
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ npm config list [--json]
 npm config edit
 
 Options:
-[--json] [-g|--global] [--editor <editor>] [-l|--long]
+[--json] [-g|--global] [--editor <editor>] [-L|--location <global|user|project>]
+[-l|--long]
 
 alias: c
 
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js.test.cjs
index 27e65bc700a4d..01b137b8af54a 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js.test.cjs
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ Array [
   "legacy-peer-deps",
   "link",
   "local-address",
+  "location",
   "loglevel",
   "logs-max",
   "long",
@@ -1024,6 +1025,16 @@ The IP address of the local interface to use when making connections to the
 npm registry. Must be IPv4 in versions of Node prior to 0.12.
 `
 
+exports[`test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js TAP > config description for location 1`] = `
+#### \`location\`
+
+* Default: "user" unless \`--global\` is passed, which will also set this value
+  to "global"
+* Type: "global", "user", or "project"
+
+When passed to \`npm config\` this refers to which config file to use.
+`
+
 exports[`test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js TAP > config description for loglevel 1`] = `
 #### \`loglevel\`
 
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/describe-all.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/describe-all.js.test.cjs
index d48a6239ff7d6..8487b45174cc3 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/describe-all.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/describe-all.js.test.cjs
@@ -637,6 +637,14 @@ Used with \`npm ls\`, limiting output to only those packages that are linked.
 The IP address of the local interface to use when making connections to the
 npm registry. Must be IPv4 in versions of Node prior to 0.12.
 
+#### \`location\`
+
+* Default: "user" unless \`--global\` is passed, which will also set this value
+  to "global"
+* Type: "global", "user", or "project"
+
+When passed to \`npm config\` this refers to which config file to use.
+
 #### \`loglevel\`
 
 * Default: "notice"
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/index.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/index.js.test.cjs
index 1e5ca232452e0..f1cba9264ee2f 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/index.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/index.js.test.cjs
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ Object {
   "l": Array [
     "--long",
   ],
+  "L": Array [
+    "--location",
+  ],
   "local": Array [
     "--no-global",
   ],
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/npm-usage.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/npm-usage.js.test.cjs
index 5836e60f36664..50f6481f6e848 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/npm-usage.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/npm-usage.js.test.cjs
@@ -294,7 +294,8 @@ All commands:
                     npm config edit
                     
                     Options:
-                    [--json] [-g|--global] [--editor <editor>] [-l|--long]
+                    [--json] [-g|--global] [--editor <editor>] [-L|--location <global|user|project>]
+                    [-l|--long]
                     
                     alias: c
                     
diff --git a/test/lib/config.js b/test/lib/config.js
index 6c04293137af9..8a1e7d85e09aa 100644
--- a/test/lib/config.js
+++ b/test/lib/config.js
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ const defaults = {
 const cliConfig = {
   editor: 'vi',
   json: false,
+  location: 'user',
   long: false,
-  global: false,
   cat: true,
   chai: true,
   dog: true,
@@ -198,8 +198,8 @@ t.test('config list --json', t => {
       {
         editor: 'vi',
         json: true,
+        location: 'user',
         long: false,
-        global: false,
         cat: true,
         chai: true,
         dog: true,
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ t.test('config delete multiple key', t => {
   })
 })
 
-t.test('config delete key --global', t => {
+t.test('config delete key --location=global', t => {
   t.plan(4)
 
   npm.config.delete = (key, where) => {
@@ -277,13 +277,13 @@ t.test('config delete key --global', t => {
     t.equal(where, 'global', 'should save global config post-delete')
   }
 
-  cliConfig.global = true
+  cliConfig.location = 'global'
   config.exec(['delete', 'foo'], (err) => {
-    t.error(err, 'npm config delete key --global')
+    t.error(err, 'npm config delete key --location=global')
   })
 
   t.teardown(() => {
-    cliConfig.global = false
+    cliConfig.location = 'user'
     delete npm.config.delete
     delete npm.config.save
   })
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ t.test('config set invalid key', t => {
   })
 })
 
-t.test('config set key --global', t => {
+t.test('config set key --location=global', t => {
   t.plan(5)
 
   npm.config.set = (key, val, where) => {
@@ -432,13 +432,13 @@ t.test('config set key --global', t => {
     t.equal(where, 'global', 'should save global config')
   }
 
-  cliConfig.global = true
+  cliConfig.location = 'global'
   config.exec(['set', 'foo', 'bar'], (err) => {
-    t.error(err, 'npm config set key --global')
+    t.error(err, 'npm config set key --location=global')
   })
 
   t.teardown(() => {
-    cliConfig.global = false
+    cliConfig.location = 'user'
     delete npm.config.set
     delete npm.config.save
   })
@@ -583,10 +583,10 @@ sign-git-commit=true`
   })
 })
 
-t.test('config edit --global', t => {
+t.test('config edit --location=global', t => {
   t.plan(6)
 
-  cliConfig.global = true
+  cliConfig.location = 'global'
   const npmrc = 'init.author.name=Foo'
   npm.config.data.set('global', {
     source: '/etc/npmrc',
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ t.test('config edit --global', t => {
   })
 
   t.teardown(() => {
-    cliConfig.global = false
+    cliConfig.location = 'user'
     npm.config.data.delete('user')
     delete npm.config.save
   })
diff --git a/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js b/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
index e829780fcd219..63d9bbd195ab2 100644
--- a/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
+++ b/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js
@@ -805,3 +805,26 @@ t.test('save-exact', t => {
   t.strictSame(flat, { savePrefix: '~1.2.3' })
   t.end()
 })
+
+t.test('location', t => {
+  const obj = {
+    global: true,
+    location: 'user',
+  }
+  const 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' })
+
+  obj.global = false
+  obj.location = 'user'
+  delete flat.global
+  delete flat.location
+
+  definitions.location.flatten('location', obj, flat)
+  // global = false leaves location unaltered
+  t.strictSame(flat, { location: 'user' })
+  t.strictSame(obj, { global: false, location: 'user' })
+  t.end()
+})