diff --git a/builtin/config.c b/builtin/config.c
index 8a2840f0a8..de1878b947 100644
--- a/builtin/config.c
+++ b/builtin/config.c
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ static int actions, type;
 static char *default_value;
 static int end_nul;
 static int respect_includes_opt = -1;
-static struct config_options config_options;
+static struct config_options config_options = {
+	.parse_options = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE)
+};
 static int show_origin;
 static int show_scope;
 static int fixed_value;
diff --git a/bundle-uri.c b/bundle-uri.c
index f93ca6a486..856bffdcad 100644
--- a/bundle-uri.c
+++ b/bundle-uri.c
@@ -237,9 +237,7 @@ int bundle_uri_parse_config_format(const char *uri,
 				   struct bundle_list *list)
 {
 	int result;
-	struct config_parse_options opts = {
-		.error_action = CONFIG_ERROR_ERROR,
-	};
+	struct config_parse_options opts = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_ERROR);
 
 	if (!list->baseURI) {
 		struct strbuf baseURI = STRBUF_INIT;
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index dc6cda03aa..b6d0e16240 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ struct config_source {
 	enum config_origin_type origin_type;
 	const char *name;
 	const char *path;
-	enum config_error_action default_error_action;
 	int linenr;
 	int eof;
 	size_t total_len;
@@ -185,13 +184,15 @@ static int handle_path_include(const struct key_value_info *kvi,
 	}
 
 	if (!access_or_die(path, R_OK, 0)) {
+		struct config_parse_options config_opts = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE);
+
 		if (++inc->depth > MAX_INCLUDE_DEPTH)
 			die(_(include_depth_advice), MAX_INCLUDE_DEPTH, path,
 			    !kvi ? "<unknown>" :
 			    kvi->filename ? kvi->filename :
 			    "the command line");
 		ret = git_config_from_file_with_options(git_config_include, path, inc,
-							kvi->scope, NULL);
+							kvi->scope, &config_opts);
 		inc->depth--;
 	}
 cleanup:
@@ -339,7 +340,9 @@ static int add_remote_url(const char *var, const char *value,
 
 static void populate_remote_urls(struct config_include_data *inc)
 {
-	struct config_options opts;
+	struct config_options opts = {
+		.parse_options = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE),
+	};
 
 	opts = *inc->opts;
 	opts.unconditional_remote_url = 1;
@@ -1029,6 +1032,56 @@ static void kvi_from_source(struct config_source *cs,
 	out->path = cs->path;
 }
 
+int git_config_err_fn(enum config_event_t type, size_t begin_offset UNUSED,
+		      size_t end_offset UNUSED, struct config_source *cs,
+		      void *data)
+{
+	char *error_msg = NULL;
+	int error_return = 0;
+	enum config_error_action *action = data;
+
+	if (type != CONFIG_EVENT_ERROR)
+		return 0;
+
+	switch (cs->origin_type) {
+	case CONFIG_ORIGIN_BLOB:
+		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in blob %s"),
+				      cs->linenr, cs->name);
+		break;
+	case CONFIG_ORIGIN_FILE:
+		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in file %s"),
+				      cs->linenr, cs->name);
+		break;
+	case CONFIG_ORIGIN_STDIN:
+		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in standard input"),
+				      cs->linenr);
+		break;
+	case CONFIG_ORIGIN_SUBMODULE_BLOB:
+		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in submodule-blob %s"),
+				       cs->linenr, cs->name);
+		break;
+	case CONFIG_ORIGIN_CMDLINE:
+		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in command line %s"),
+				       cs->linenr, cs->name);
+		break;
+	default:
+		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in %s"),
+				      cs->linenr, cs->name);
+	}
+
+	switch (*action) {
+	case CONFIG_ERROR_DIE:
+		die("%s", error_msg);
+		break;
+	case CONFIG_ERROR_ERROR:
+		error_return = error("%s", error_msg);
+		break;
+	}
+
+	free(error_msg);
+	return error_return;
+}
+
 static int git_parse_source(struct config_source *cs, config_fn_t fn,
 			    struct key_value_info *kvi, void *data,
 			    const struct config_parse_options *opts)
@@ -1036,8 +1089,6 @@ static int git_parse_source(struct config_source *cs, config_fn_t fn,
 	int comment = 0;
 	size_t baselen = 0;
 	struct strbuf *var = &cs->var;
-	int error_return = 0;
-	char *error_msg = NULL;
 
 	/* U+FEFF Byte Order Mark in UTF8 */
 	const char *bomptr = utf8_bom;
@@ -1119,53 +1170,14 @@ static int git_parse_source(struct config_source *cs, config_fn_t fn,
 			break;
 	}
 
-	if (do_event(cs, CONFIG_EVENT_ERROR, &event_data) < 0)
-		return -1;
-
-	switch (cs->origin_type) {
-	case CONFIG_ORIGIN_BLOB:
-		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in blob %s"),
-				      cs->linenr, cs->name);
-		break;
-	case CONFIG_ORIGIN_FILE:
-		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in file %s"),
-				      cs->linenr, cs->name);
-		break;
-	case CONFIG_ORIGIN_STDIN:
-		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in standard input"),
-				      cs->linenr);
-		break;
-	case CONFIG_ORIGIN_SUBMODULE_BLOB:
-		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in submodule-blob %s"),
-				       cs->linenr, cs->name);
-		break;
-	case CONFIG_ORIGIN_CMDLINE:
-		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in command line %s"),
-				       cs->linenr, cs->name);
-		break;
-	default:
-		error_msg = xstrfmt(_("bad config line %d in %s"),
-				      cs->linenr, cs->name);
-	}
-
-	switch (opts && opts->error_action ?
-		opts->error_action :
-		cs->default_error_action) {
-	case CONFIG_ERROR_DIE:
-		die("%s", error_msg);
-		break;
-	case CONFIG_ERROR_ERROR:
-		error_return = error("%s", error_msg);
-		break;
-	case CONFIG_ERROR_SILENT:
-		error_return = -1;
-		break;
-	case CONFIG_ERROR_UNSET:
-		BUG("config error action unset");
-	}
-
-	free(error_msg);
-	return error_return;
+	/*
+	 * FIXME for whatever reason, do_event passes the _previous_ event, so
+	 * in order for our callback to receive the error event, we have to call
+	 * do_event twice
+	 */
+	do_event(cs, CONFIG_EVENT_ERROR, &event_data);
+	do_event(cs, CONFIG_EVENT_ERROR, &event_data);
+	return -1;
 }
 
 static uintmax_t get_unit_factor(const char *end)
@@ -2002,7 +2014,6 @@ static int do_config_from_file(config_fn_t fn,
 	top.origin_type = origin_type;
 	top.name = name;
 	top.path = path;
-	top.default_error_action = CONFIG_ERROR_DIE;
 	top.do_fgetc = config_file_fgetc;
 	top.do_ungetc = config_file_ungetc;
 	top.do_ftell = config_file_ftell;
@@ -2016,8 +2027,10 @@ static int do_config_from_file(config_fn_t fn,
 static int git_config_from_stdin(config_fn_t fn, void *data,
 				 enum config_scope scope)
 {
+	struct config_parse_options config_opts = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE);
+
 	return do_config_from_file(fn, CONFIG_ORIGIN_STDIN, "", NULL, stdin,
-				   data, scope, NULL);
+				   data, scope, &config_opts);
 }
 
 int git_config_from_file_with_options(config_fn_t fn, const char *filename,
@@ -2040,8 +2053,10 @@ int git_config_from_file_with_options(config_fn_t fn, const char *filename,
 
 int git_config_from_file(config_fn_t fn, const char *filename, void *data)
 {
+	struct config_parse_options config_opts = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE);
+
 	return git_config_from_file_with_options(fn, filename, data,
-						 CONFIG_SCOPE_UNKNOWN, NULL);
+						 CONFIG_SCOPE_UNKNOWN, &config_opts);
 }
 
 int git_config_from_mem(config_fn_t fn,
@@ -2058,7 +2073,6 @@ int git_config_from_mem(config_fn_t fn,
 	top.origin_type = origin_type;
 	top.name = name;
 	top.path = NULL;
-	top.default_error_action = CONFIG_ERROR_ERROR;
 	top.do_fgetc = config_buf_fgetc;
 	top.do_ungetc = config_buf_ungetc;
 	top.do_ftell = config_buf_ftell;
@@ -2077,6 +2091,7 @@ int git_config_from_blob_oid(config_fn_t fn,
 	char *buf;
 	unsigned long size;
 	int ret;
+	struct config_parse_options config_opts = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_ERROR);
 
 	buf = repo_read_object_file(repo, oid, &type, &size);
 	if (!buf)
@@ -2087,7 +2102,7 @@ int git_config_from_blob_oid(config_fn_t fn,
 	}
 
 	ret = git_config_from_mem(fn, CONFIG_ORIGIN_BLOB, name, buf, size,
-				  data, scope, NULL);
+				  data, scope, &config_opts);
 	free(buf);
 
 	return ret;
@@ -2188,29 +2203,32 @@ static int do_git_config_sequence(const struct config_options *opts,
 			   opts->system_gently ? ACCESS_EACCES_OK : 0))
 		ret += git_config_from_file_with_options(fn, system_config,
 							 data, CONFIG_SCOPE_SYSTEM,
-							 NULL);
+							 &opts->parse_options);
 
 	git_global_config(&user_config, &xdg_config);
 
 	if (xdg_config && !access_or_die(xdg_config, R_OK, ACCESS_EACCES_OK))
 		ret += git_config_from_file_with_options(fn, xdg_config, data,
-							 CONFIG_SCOPE_GLOBAL, NULL);
+							 CONFIG_SCOPE_GLOBAL,
+							 &opts->parse_options);
 
 	if (user_config && !access_or_die(user_config, R_OK, ACCESS_EACCES_OK))
 		ret += git_config_from_file_with_options(fn, user_config, data,
-							 CONFIG_SCOPE_GLOBAL, NULL);
+							 CONFIG_SCOPE_GLOBAL,
+							 &opts->parse_options);
 
 	if (!opts->ignore_repo && repo_config &&
 	    !access_or_die(repo_config, R_OK, 0))
 		ret += git_config_from_file_with_options(fn, repo_config, data,
-							 CONFIG_SCOPE_LOCAL, NULL);
+							 CONFIG_SCOPE_LOCAL,
+							 &opts->parse_options);
 
 	if (!opts->ignore_worktree && worktree_config &&
 	    repo && repo->repository_format_worktree_config &&
 	    !access_or_die(worktree_config, R_OK, 0)) {
 			ret += git_config_from_file_with_options(fn, worktree_config, data,
 								 CONFIG_SCOPE_WORKTREE,
-								 NULL);
+								 &opts->parse_options);
 	}
 
 	if (!opts->ignore_cmdline && git_config_from_parameters(fn, data) < 0)
@@ -2251,7 +2269,7 @@ int config_with_options(config_fn_t fn, void *data,
 	} else if (config_source && config_source->file) {
 		ret = git_config_from_file_with_options(fn, config_source->file,
 							data, config_source->scope,
-							NULL);
+							&opts->parse_options);
 	} else if (config_source && config_source->blob) {
 		ret = git_config_from_blob_ref(fn, repo, config_source->blob,
 					       data, config_source->scope);
@@ -2289,9 +2307,11 @@ static void configset_iter(struct config_set *set, config_fn_t fn, void *data)
 
 void read_early_config(config_fn_t cb, void *data)
 {
-	struct config_options opts = {0};
 	struct strbuf commondir = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf gitdir = STRBUF_INIT;
+	struct config_options opts = {
+		.parse_options = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE),
+	};
 
 	opts.respect_includes = 1;
 
@@ -2323,7 +2343,9 @@ void read_early_config(config_fn_t cb, void *data)
  */
 void read_very_early_config(config_fn_t cb, void *data)
 {
-	struct config_options opts = { 0 };
+	struct config_options opts = {
+		.parse_options = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE),
+	};
 
 	opts.respect_includes = 1;
 	opts.ignore_repo = 1;
@@ -2614,7 +2636,9 @@ int git_configset_get_pathname(struct config_set *set, const char *key, const ch
 /* Functions use to read configuration from a repository */
 static void repo_read_config(struct repository *repo)
 {
-	struct config_options opts = { 0 };
+	struct config_options opts = {
+		.parse_options = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE),
+	};
 
 	opts.respect_includes = 1;
 	opts.commondir = repo->commondir;
@@ -2761,12 +2785,14 @@ int repo_config_get_pathname(struct repository *repo,
 static void read_protected_config(void)
 {
 	struct config_options opts = {
-		.respect_includes = 1,
-		.ignore_repo = 1,
-		.ignore_worktree = 1,
-		.system_gently = 1,
+		.parse_options = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE),
 	};
 
+	opts.respect_includes = 1;
+	opts.ignore_repo = 1;
+	opts.ignore_worktree = 1;
+	opts.system_gently = 1;
+
 	git_configset_init(&protected_config);
 	config_with_options(config_set_callback, &protected_config, NULL,
 			    NULL, &opts);
@@ -2977,6 +3003,7 @@ struct config_store_data {
 		enum config_event_t type;
 		int is_keys_section;
 	} *parsed;
+	enum config_error_action error_action;
 	unsigned int parsed_nr, parsed_alloc, *seen, seen_nr, seen_alloc;
 	unsigned int key_seen:1, section_seen:1, is_keys_section:1;
 };
@@ -3044,6 +3071,10 @@ static int store_aux_event(enum config_event_t type, size_t begin, size_t end,
 			store->seen[store->seen_nr] = store->parsed_nr;
 		}
 	}
+	if (type == CONFIG_EVENT_ERROR) {
+		return git_config_err_fn(type, begin, end, cs,
+					 &store->error_action);
+	}
 
 	store->parsed_nr++;
 
@@ -3380,7 +3411,7 @@ int git_config_set_multivar_in_file_gently(const char *config_filename,
 		struct stat st;
 		size_t copy_begin, copy_end;
 		int i, new_line = 0;
-		struct config_parse_options opts;
+		struct config_parse_options opts = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE);
 
 		if (!value_pattern)
 			store.value_pattern = NULL;
@@ -3407,8 +3438,8 @@ int git_config_set_multivar_in_file_gently(const char *config_filename,
 
 		ALLOC_GROW(store.parsed, 1, store.parsed_alloc);
 		store.parsed[0].end = 0;
+		store.error_action = CONFIG_ERROR_DIE;
 
-		memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
 		opts.event_fn = store_aux_event;
 		opts.event_fn_data = &store;
 
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index b13586307d..1aed02cd5d 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -86,12 +86,6 @@ typedef int (*config_parser_event_fn_t)(enum config_event_t type,
 					void *event_fn_data);
 
 struct config_parse_options {
-	enum config_error_action {
-		CONFIG_ERROR_UNSET = 0, /* use source-specific default */
-		CONFIG_ERROR_DIE, /* die() on error */
-		CONFIG_ERROR_ERROR, /* error() on error, return -1 */
-		CONFIG_ERROR_SILENT, /* return -1 */
-	} error_action;
 	/*
 	 * event_fn and event_fn_data are for internal use only. Handles events
 	 * emitted by the config parser.
@@ -100,6 +94,11 @@ struct config_parse_options {
 	void *event_fn_data;
 };
 
+#define CP_OPTS_INIT(error_action) { \
+	.event_fn = git_config_err_fn, \
+	.event_fn_data = (enum config_error_action []){(error_action)}, \
+}
+
 struct config_options {
 	unsigned int respect_includes : 1;
 	unsigned int ignore_repo : 1;
@@ -119,6 +118,15 @@ struct config_options {
 	unsigned int unconditional_remote_url : 1;
 };
 
+enum config_error_action {
+	CONFIG_ERROR_DIE, /* die() on error */
+	CONFIG_ERROR_ERROR, /* error() on error, return -1 */
+};
+
+int git_config_err_fn(enum config_event_t type, size_t begin_offset,
+		      size_t end_offset, struct config_source *cs,
+		      void *event_fn_data);
+
 /* Config source metadata for a given config key-value pair */
 struct key_value_info {
 	const char *filename;
diff --git a/fsck.c b/fsck.c
index 522ee1c18a..bc0ca11421 100644
--- a/fsck.c
+++ b/fsck.c
@@ -1219,7 +1219,6 @@ static int fsck_blob(const struct object_id *oid, const char *buf,
 		return 0;
 
 	if (oidset_contains(&options->gitmodules_found, oid)) {
-		struct config_parse_options config_opts = { 0 };
 		struct fsck_gitmodules_data data;
 
 		oidset_insert(&options->gitmodules_done, oid);
@@ -1238,10 +1237,9 @@ static int fsck_blob(const struct object_id *oid, const char *buf,
 		data.oid = oid;
 		data.options = options;
 		data.ret = 0;
-		config_opts.error_action = CONFIG_ERROR_SILENT;
 		if (git_config_from_mem(fsck_gitmodules_fn, CONFIG_ORIGIN_BLOB,
 					".gitmodules", buf, size, &data,
-					CONFIG_SCOPE_UNKNOWN, &config_opts))
+					CONFIG_SCOPE_UNKNOWN, NULL))
 			data.ret |= report(options, oid, OBJ_BLOB,
 					FSCK_MSG_GITMODULES_PARSE,
 					"could not parse gitmodules blob");
diff --git a/submodule-config.c b/submodule-config.c
index 2aafc7f9cb..bcdd6feefa 100644
--- a/submodule-config.c
+++ b/submodule-config.c
@@ -565,6 +565,8 @@ static const struct submodule *config_from(struct submodule_cache *cache,
 	enum object_type type;
 	const struct submodule *submodule = NULL;
 	struct parse_config_parameter parameter;
+	struct config_parse_options config_opts = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_ERROR);
+
 
 	/*
 	 * If any parameter except the cache is a NULL pointer just
@@ -608,7 +610,8 @@ static const struct submodule *config_from(struct submodule_cache *cache,
 	parameter.gitmodules_oid = &oid;
 	parameter.overwrite = 0;
 	git_config_from_mem(parse_config, CONFIG_ORIGIN_SUBMODULE_BLOB, rev.buf,
-			    config, config_size, &parameter, CONFIG_SCOPE_UNKNOWN, NULL);
+			    config, config_size, &parameter,
+			    CONFIG_SCOPE_UNKNOWN, &config_opts);
 	strbuf_release(&rev);
 	free(config);
 
@@ -652,7 +655,9 @@ static void config_from_gitmodules(config_fn_t fn, struct repository *repo, void
 		struct git_config_source config_source = {
 			0, .scope = CONFIG_SCOPE_SUBMODULE
 		};
-		const struct config_options opts = { 0 };
+		struct config_options opts = {
+			.parse_options = CP_OPTS_INIT(CONFIG_ERROR_DIE),
+		};
 		struct object_id oid;
 		char *file;
 		char *oidstr = NULL;
