diff --git a/aiida/cmdline/groups/verdi.py b/aiida/cmdline/groups/verdi.py
index d0bd9ed49f..91fcb88ba1 100644
--- a/aiida/cmdline/groups/verdi.py
+++ b/aiida/cmdline/groups/verdi.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import base64
 import difflib
 import gzip
+import typing as t
 
 import click
 
@@ -34,19 +35,42 @@
 )
 
 
+class LazyConfigAttributeDict(AttributeDict):
+    """Subclass of ``AttributeDict`` that lazily calls :meth:`aiida.manage.configuration.get_config`."""
+
+    _LAZY_KEY = 'config'
+
+    def __init__(self, ctx: click.Context, dictionary: dict[str, t.Any] | None = None):
+        super().__init__(dictionary)
+        self.ctx = ctx
+
+    def __getattr__(self, attr: str) -> t.Any:
+        """Override of ``AttributeDict.__getattr__`` for lazily loading the config key.
+
+        :param attr: The attribute to return.
+        :returns: The value of the attribute.
+        :raises AttributeError: If the attribute does not correspond to an existing key.
+        :raises click.exceptions.UsageError: If loading of the configuration fails.
+        """
+        if attr != self._LAZY_KEY:
+            return super().__getattr__(attr)
+
+        if self._LAZY_KEY not in self:
+            try:
+                self[self._LAZY_KEY] = get_config(create=True)
+            except ConfigurationError as exception:
+                self.ctx.fail(str(exception))
+
+        return self[self._LAZY_KEY]
+
+
 class VerdiContext(click.Context):
     """Custom context implementation that defines the ``obj`` user object and adds the ``Config`` instance."""
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-
         if self.obj is None:
-            self.obj = AttributeDict()
-
-        try:
-            self.obj.config = get_config(create=True)
-        except ConfigurationError as exception:
-            self.fail(str(exception))
+            self.obj = LazyConfigAttributeDict(self)
 
 
 class VerdiCommandGroup(click.Group):
diff --git a/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/setup.py b/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/setup.py
index 2838948863..b3218bdda5 100644
--- a/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/setup.py
+++ b/aiida/cmdline/params/options/commands/setup.py
@@ -176,28 +176,28 @@ def get_quicksetup_password(ctx, param, value):  # pylint: disable=unused-argume
 
 SETUP_USER_EMAIL = options.USER_EMAIL.clone(
     prompt='Email Address (for sharing data)',
-    default=get_config_option('autofill.user.email'),
+    default=functools.partial(get_config_option, 'autofill.user.email'),
     required=True,
     cls=options.interactive.InteractiveOption
 )
 
 SETUP_USER_FIRST_NAME = options.USER_FIRST_NAME.clone(
     prompt='First name',
-    default=get_config_option('autofill.user.first_name'),
+    default=functools.partial(get_config_option, 'autofill.user.first_name'),
     required=True,
     cls=options.interactive.InteractiveOption
 )
 
 SETUP_USER_LAST_NAME = options.USER_LAST_NAME.clone(
     prompt='Last name',
-    default=get_config_option('autofill.user.last_name'),
+    default=functools.partial(get_config_option, 'autofill.user.last_name'),
     required=True,
     cls=options.interactive.InteractiveOption
 )
 
 SETUP_USER_INSTITUTION = options.USER_INSTITUTION.clone(
     prompt='Institution',
-    default=get_config_option('autofill.user.institution'),
+    default=functools.partial(get_config_option, 'autofill.user.institution'),
     required=True,
     cls=options.interactive.InteractiveOption
 )
diff --git a/tests/cmdline/commands/test_setup.py b/tests/cmdline/commands/test_setup.py
index 887c474b48..68c1fcd9b8 100644
--- a/tests/cmdline/commands/test_setup.py
+++ b/tests/cmdline/commands/test_setup.py
@@ -205,11 +205,12 @@ def test_setup_profile_uuid(self):
         postgres.create_db(db_user, db_name)
 
         profile_name = 'profile-copy'
+        user_email = 'some@email.com'
         profile_uuid = str(uuid.uuid4)
         options = [
             '--non-interactive', '--profile', profile_name, '--profile-uuid', profile_uuid, '--db-backend',
             self.storage_backend_name, '--db-name', db_name, '--db-username', db_user, '--db-password', db_pass,
-            '--db-port', self.pg_test.dsn['port']
+            '--db-port', self.pg_test.dsn['port'], '--email', user_email
         ]
 
         self.cli_runner(cmd_setup.setup, options, use_subprocess=False)