diff --git a/dvc/command/config.py b/dvc/command/config.py
index 079eee5ef9..99a153b46b 100644
--- a/dvc/command/config.py
+++ b/dvc/command/config.py
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@ class CmdConfig(CmdBaseNoRepo):
     def __init__(self, args):
         super().__init__(args)
 
-        self.config = Config(validate=False)
+        # Verify repository existance when level requires to modify its config
+        repository_levels = [Config.LEVEL_REPO, Config.LEVEL_LOCAL]
+        verify_repo = self.args.level in repository_levels
+
+        self.config = Config(validate=False, verify_repo=verify_repo)
 
     def run(self):
         section, opt = self.args.name.lower().strip().split(".", 1)
diff --git a/dvc/config.py b/dvc/config.py
index 0fd312aa14..e955a93be3 100644
--- a/dvc/config.py
+++ b/dvc/config.py
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ class Config(object):  # pylint: disable=too-many-instance-attributes
     }
     COMPILED_SCHEMA = Schema(SCHEMA)
 
-    def __init__(self, dvc_dir=None, validate=True):
+    def __init__(self, dvc_dir=None, validate=True, verify_repo=False):
         self.dvc_dir = dvc_dir
         self.validate = validate
 
@@ -260,6 +260,8 @@ def __init__(self, dvc_dir=None, validate=True):
 
                 self.dvc_dir = os.path.join(Repo.find_dvc_dir())
             except NotDvcRepoError:
+                if verify_repo:
+                    raise
                 self.dvc_dir = None
         else:
             self.dvc_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.realpath(dvc_dir))
diff --git a/tests/func/test_config.py b/tests/func/test_config.py
index f6cae78d3c..bfeaf0366e 100644
--- a/tests/func/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/func/test_config.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import configobj
 
+import pytest
+
 from dvc.main import main
 from tests.basic_env import TestDvc
 
@@ -83,3 +85,14 @@ def test_non_existing(self):
 
         ret = main(["config", "core.non_existing_field", "-u"])
         self.assertEqual(ret, 251)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "cmd",
+    [
+        ["config", "core.analytics", "false"],
+        ["config", "--local", "core.analytics", "false"],
+    ],
+)
+def test_commands_outside_dvc_repository(tmp_dir, cmd):
+    assert 253 == main(cmd)