diff --git a/go/cmd/dolt/dolt.go b/go/cmd/dolt/dolt.go
index d2ecddfe0d..1390473a4a 100644
--- a/go/cmd/dolt/dolt.go
+++ b/go/cmd/dolt/dolt.go
@@ -510,6 +510,11 @@ func runMain() int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
+	if dEnv.CfgLoadErr != nil {
+		cli.PrintErrln(color.RedString("Failed to load the global config. %v", dEnv.CfgLoadErr))
+		return 1
+	}
+
 	strMetricsDisabled := dEnv.Config.GetStringOrDefault(config.MetricsDisabled, "false")
 	var metricsEmitter events.Emitter
 	metricsEmitter = events.NewFileEmitter(homeDir, dbfactory.DoltDir)
@@ -520,10 +525,6 @@ func runMain() int {
 
 	events.SetGlobalCollector(events.NewCollector(doltversion.Version, metricsEmitter))
 
-	if dEnv.CfgLoadErr != nil {
-		cli.PrintErrln(color.RedString("Failed to load the global config. %v", dEnv.CfgLoadErr))
-		return 1
-	}
 	globalConfig, ok := dEnv.Config.GetConfig(env.GlobalConfig)
 	if !ok {
 		cli.PrintErrln(color.RedString("Failed to get global config"))
diff --git a/integration-tests/bats/no-repo.bats b/integration-tests/bats/no-repo.bats
index 7b19c59983..3a030fbb70 100755
--- a/integration-tests/bats/no-repo.bats
+++ b/integration-tests/bats/no-repo.bats
@@ -422,3 +422,46 @@ NOT_VALID_REPO_ERROR="The current directory is not a valid dolt repository."
     [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
     [[ "$output" =~ "Unknown Command notarealcommand" ]] || false
 }
+
+@test "no-repo: the global dolt directory is not accessible due to permissions" {
+    noPermissionsDir=$(mktemp -d -t noPermissions-XXXX)
+    chmod 000 $noPermissionsDir
+    DOLT_ROOT_PATH=$noPermissionsDir
+
+    run dolt version
+    [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
+    [[ "$output" =~ "Failed to load the global config" ]] || false
+    [[ "$output" =~ "permission denied" ]] || false
+
+    run dolt sql
+    [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
+    [[ "$output" =~ "Failed to load the global config" ]] || false
+    [[ "$output" =~ "permission denied" ]] || false
+
+    run dolt sql-server
+    [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
+    [[ "$output" =~ "Failed to load the global config" ]] || false
+    [[ "$output" =~ "permission denied" ]] || false
+}
+
+@test "no-repo: the global dolt directory is accessible, but not writable" {
+    noPermissionsDir=$(mktemp -d -t noPermissions-XXXX)
+    chmod 000 $noPermissionsDir
+    chmod a+x $noPermissionsDir
+    DOLT_ROOT_PATH=$noPermissionsDir
+
+    run dolt version
+    [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
+    [[ "$output" =~ "Failed to load the global config" ]] || false
+    [[ "$output" =~ "permission denied" ]] || false
+
+    run dolt sql
+    [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
+    [[ "$output" =~ "Failed to load the global config" ]] || false
+    [[ "$output" =~ "permission denied" ]] || false
+
+    run dolt sql-server
+    [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
+    [[ "$output" =~ "Failed to load the global config" ]] || false
+    [[ "$output" =~ "permission denied" ]] || false
+}