diff --git a/cli/config/config.go b/cli/config/config.go
index 5a518432601d..910b3c0064a1 100644
--- a/cli/config/config.go
+++ b/cli/config/config.go
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func load(configDir string) (*configfile.ConfigFile, error) {
 	defer file.Close()
 	err = configFile.LoadFromReader(file)
 	if err != nil {
-		err = errors.Wrapf(err, "loading config file: %s: ", filename)
+		err = errors.Wrapf(err, "parsing config file (%s)", filename)
 	}
 	return configFile, err
 }
diff --git a/cli/config/config_test.go b/cli/config/config_test.go
index e74a25863e35..9e8c89238e2c 100644
--- a/cli/config/config_test.go
+++ b/cli/config/config_test.go
@@ -118,6 +118,17 @@ func TestEmptyJSON(t *testing.T) {
 	saveConfigAndValidateNewFormat(t, config, tmpHome)
 }
 
+func TestMalformedJSON(t *testing.T) {
+	tmpHome := t.TempDir()
+
+	fn := filepath.Join(tmpHome, ConfigFileName)
+	err := os.WriteFile(fn, []byte("{"), 0o600)
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+
+	_, err = Load(tmpHome)
+	assert.Check(t, is.ErrorContains(err, fmt.Sprintf(`parsing config file (%s):`, fn)))
+}
+
 func TestNewJSON(t *testing.T) {
 	tmpHome := t.TempDir()