diff --git a/dvc/command/config.py b/dvc/command/config.py
index d684f3527..b2c121821 100644
--- a/dvc/command/config.py
+++ b/dvc/command/config.py
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ class CmdConfig(CmdBaseNoRepo):
                     "options: -u/--unset, value"
                 )
                 return 1
+            if not self.args.level:
+                logger.error(
+                    "--show-origin requires one of these options: "
+                    "--system, --global, --repo, --local"
+                )
+                return 1
 
         if self.args.list:
             if any((self.args.name, self.args.value, self.args.unset)):
diff --git a/tests/func/test_config.py b/tests/func/test_config.py
index 57e8d2b13..b1f581027 100644
--- a/tests/func/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/func/test_config.py
@@ -261,14 +261,16 @@ def test_config_show_origin(tmp_dir, dvc, caplog):
     )
 
     caplog.clear()
-    assert main(["config", "--show-origin", "remote.myremote.url"]) == 0
+    assert (
+        main(["config", "--show-origin", "--repo", "remote.myremote.url"]) == 0
+    )
     assert (
         "{}\t{}\n".format(os.path.join(".dvc", "config"), "s3://bucket/path")
         in caplog.text
     )
 
     caplog.clear()
-    assert main(["config", "--list", "--show-origin"]) == 0
+    assert main(["config", "--list", "--repo", "--show-origin"]) == 0
     assert (
         "{}\t{}\n".format(
             os.path.join(".dvc", "config"),