diff --git a/lib/rubocop/config_loader.rb b/lib/rubocop/config_loader.rb
index df106e325ded..9f969fdc21b8 100644
--- a/lib/rubocop/config_loader.rb
+++ b/lib/rubocop/config_loader.rb
@@ -217,8 +217,6 @@ def load_yaml_configuration(absolute_path)
           raise(TypeError, "Malformed configuration in #{absolute_path}")
         end
 
-        check_cop_config_value(hash)
-
         hash
       end
 
@@ -240,24 +238,6 @@ def check_duplication(yaml_code, absolute_path)
         end
       end
 
-      def check_cop_config_value(hash, parent = nil)
-        hash.each do |key, value|
-          check_cop_config_value(value, key) if value.is_a?(Hash)
-
-          next unless %w[Enabled
-                         Safe
-                         SafeAutoCorrect
-                         AutoCorrect].include?(key) && value.is_a?(String)
-
-          next if key == 'Enabled' && value == 'pending'
-
-          abort(
-            "Property #{Rainbow(key).yellow} of cop #{Rainbow(parent).yellow}" \
-            " is supposed to be a boolean and #{Rainbow(value).yellow} is not."
-          )
-        end
-      end
-
       # Read the specified file, or exit with a friendly, concise message on
       # stderr. Care is taken to use the standard OS exit code for a "file not
       # found" error.
diff --git a/lib/rubocop/config_validator.rb b/lib/rubocop/config_validator.rb
index c4514d1e4e94..012f12028965 100644
--- a/lib/rubocop/config_validator.rb
+++ b/lib/rubocop/config_validator.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ def initialize(config)
     end
 
     def validate
-      # Don't validate RuboCop's own files. Avoids infinite recursion.
+      check_cop_config_value(@config)
+
+      # Don't validate RuboCop's own files further. Avoids infinite recursion.
       return if @config.internal?
 
       valid_cop_names, invalid_cop_names = @config.keys.partition do |key|
@@ -244,5 +246,27 @@ def reject_mutually_exclusive_defaults
       msg = 'Cops cannot be both enabled by default and disabled by default'
       raise ValidationError, msg
     end
+
+    def check_cop_config_value(hash, parent = nil)
+      hash.each do |key, value|
+        check_cop_config_value(value, key) if value.is_a?(Hash)
+
+        next unless %w[Enabled
+                       Safe
+                       SafeAutoCorrect
+                       AutoCorrect].include?(key) && value.is_a?(String)
+
+        next if key == 'Enabled' && value == 'pending'
+
+        raise ValidationError, msg_not_boolean(parent, key, value)
+      end
+    end
+
+    # FIXME: Handling colors in exception messages like this is ugly.
+    def msg_not_boolean(parent, key, value)
+      "#{Rainbow('').reset}" \
+        "Property #{Rainbow(key).yellow} of cop #{Rainbow(parent).yellow}" \
+        " is supposed to be a boolean and #{Rainbow(value).yellow} is not."
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/rubocop/config_loader_spec.rb b/spec/rubocop/config_loader_spec.rb
index d2390cc74252..0c8b5c3bf14e 100644
--- a/spec/rubocop/config_loader_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/rubocop/config_loader_spec.rb
@@ -1087,7 +1087,7 @@ def cop_enabled?(cop_class)
         expect do
           load_file
         end.to raise_error(
-          SystemExit,
+          RuboCop::ValidationError,
           /supposed to be a boolean and disable is not/
         )
       end