diff --git a/dvc/command/config.py b/dvc/command/config.py
index 890c562404..b49dac8243 100644
--- a/dvc/command/config.py
+++ b/dvc/command/config.py
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ def _check(self, conf, section, opt=None):
             msg = "option {} doesn't exist"
             raise ConfigError(msg.format(self.args.name))
 
+        if self.args.name == "core.no_scm" and self.args.level in [
+            "global",
+            "system",
+        ]:
+            msg = "{} not allowed on a {} level"
+            raise ConfigError(msg.format(self.args.name, self.args.level))
+
 
 parent_config_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(add_help=False)
 parent_config_parser.add_argument(
diff --git a/tests/func/test_config.py b/tests/func/test_config.py
index 1ae0118b77..ca01fd979d 100644
--- a/tests/func/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/func/test_config.py
@@ -106,3 +106,10 @@ def test_merging_two_levels(dvc):
 def test_config_loads_without_error_for_non_dvc_repo(tmp_dir):
     # regression testing for https://github.com/iterative/dvc/issues/3328
     Config(validate=True)
+
+
+def test_no_scm(dvc):
+    assert 251 == main(["config", "--global", "core.no_scm", "true"])
+    assert 251 == main(["config", "--system", "core.no_scm", "true"])
+    assert 0 == main(["config", "--local", "core.no_scm", "true"])
+    assert 0 == main(["config", "core.no_scm", "true"])