diff --git a/pkg/commands/config.go b/pkg/commands/config.go
index eba00fe0d770..6628aa427b05 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/config.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/config.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func (c *configCommand) preRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	// It only needs to know the path of the configuration file.
 	cfg := config.NewDefault()
 
-	loader := config.NewLoader(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyConfigReader), c.viper, cmd.Flags(), c.opts, cfg, args)
+	loader := config.NewLintersLoader(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyConfigReader), c.viper, cmd.Flags(), c.opts, cfg, args)
 
 	err := loader.Load(config.LoadOptions{})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/commands/fmt.go b/pkg/commands/fmt.go
index a67be04fd1dc..c6b10a62b652 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/fmt.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/fmt.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func newFmtCommand(logger logutils.Log, info BuildInfo) *fmtCommand {
 func (c *fmtCommand) persistentPreRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	c.log.Infof("%s", c.buildInfo.String())
 
-	loader := config.NewLoader(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyConfigReader), c.viper, cmd.Flags(), c.opts.LoaderOptions, c.cfg, args)
+	loader := config.NewFormattersLoader(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyConfigReader), c.viper, cmd.Flags(), c.opts.LoaderOptions, c.cfg, args)
 
 	err := loader.Load(config.LoadOptions{CheckDeprecation: true, Validation: true})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/commands/formatters.go b/pkg/commands/formatters.go
index 0c64056550be..a3fafd1d25c9 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/formatters.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/formatters.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func newFormattersCommand(logger logutils.Log) *formattersCommand {
 }
 
 func (c *formattersCommand) preRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	loader := config.NewLoader(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyConfigReader), c.viper, cmd.Flags(), c.opts.LoaderOptions, c.cfg, args)
+	loader := config.NewFormattersLoader(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyConfigReader), c.viper, cmd.Flags(), c.opts.LoaderOptions, c.cfg, args)
 
 	err := loader.Load(config.LoadOptions{Validation: true})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/commands/linters.go b/pkg/commands/linters.go
index 3578bc4fbbdd..40036bb8567f 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/linters.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/linters.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func newLintersCommand(logger logutils.Log) *lintersCommand {
 }
 
 func (c *lintersCommand) preRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-	loader := config.NewLoader(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyConfigReader), c.viper, cmd.Flags(), c.opts.LoaderOptions, c.cfg, args)
+	loader := config.NewLintersLoader(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyConfigReader), c.viper, cmd.Flags(), c.opts.LoaderOptions, c.cfg, args)
 
 	err := loader.Load(config.LoadOptions{Validation: true})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/commands/run.go b/pkg/commands/run.go
index 7faa00161fdb..a3e9df6de3fc 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/run.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/run.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func (c *runCommand) persistentPreRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error
 
 	c.log.Infof("%s", c.buildInfo.String())
 
-	loader := config.NewLoader(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyConfigReader), c.viper, cmd.Flags(), c.opts.LoaderOptions, c.cfg, args)
+	loader := config.NewLintersLoader(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyConfigReader), c.viper, cmd.Flags(), c.opts.LoaderOptions, c.cfg, args)
 
 	err := loader.Load(config.LoadOptions{CheckDeprecation: true, Validation: true})
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/config/loader.go b/pkg/config/loader.go
index e153c6adc169..ffa02d6bcdb5 100644
--- a/pkg/config/loader.go
+++ b/pkg/config/loader.go
@@ -17,6 +17,11 @@ import (
 
 var errConfigDisabled = errors.New("config is disabled by --no-config")
 
+const (
+	modeLinters    = "linters"
+	modeFormatters = "formatters"
+)
+
 type LoaderOptions struct {
 	Config   string // Flag only. The path to the golangci config file, as specified with the --config argument.
 	NoConfig bool   // Flag only.
@@ -33,9 +38,25 @@ type Loader struct {
 	fs *pflag.FlagSet
 
 	cfg *Config
+
+	mode string
+}
+
+func NewLintersLoader(log logutils.Log, v *viper.Viper, fs *pflag.FlagSet, opts LoaderOptions, cfg *Config, args []string) *Loader {
+	loader := newLoader(log, v, fs, opts, cfg, args)
+	loader.mode = modeLinters
+
+	return loader
 }
 
-func NewLoader(log logutils.Log, v *viper.Viper, fs *pflag.FlagSet, opts LoaderOptions, cfg *Config, args []string) *Loader {
+func NewFormattersLoader(log logutils.Log, v *viper.Viper, fs *pflag.FlagSet, opts LoaderOptions, cfg *Config, args []string) *Loader {
+	loader := newLoader(log, v, fs, opts, cfg, args)
+	loader.mode = modeFormatters
+
+	return loader
+}
+
+func newLoader(log logutils.Log, v *viper.Viper, fs *pflag.FlagSet, opts LoaderOptions, cfg *Config, args []string) *Loader {
 	return &Loader{
 		BaseLoader: NewBaseLoader(log, v, opts, cfg, args),
 		fs:         fs,
@@ -44,18 +65,15 @@ func NewLoader(log logutils.Log, v *viper.Viper, fs *pflag.FlagSet, opts LoaderO
 }
 
 func (l *Loader) Load(opts LoadOptions) error {
-	err := l.setConfigFile()
+	err := l.BaseLoader.Load()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	err = l.parseConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	if l.mode == modeLinters {
+		l.applyStringSliceHack()
 	}
 
-	l.applyStringSliceHack()
-
 	if l.cfg.Linters.Exclusions.Generated == "" {
 		l.cfg.Linters.Exclusions.Generated = GeneratedModeStrict
 	}