diff --git a/lib/config/config-file.js b/lib/config/config-file.js
index 179a0ff5e4c7..176329d75135 100644
--- a/lib/config/config-file.js
+++ b/lib/config/config-file.js
@@ -475,7 +475,14 @@ function loadObject(configContext, { config: configObject, filePath, configFullN
 
     // ensure plugins are properly loaded first
     if (config.plugins) {
-        configContext.plugins.loadAll(config.plugins);
+        try {
+            configContext.plugins.loadAll(config.plugins);
+        } catch (pluginLoadErr) {
+            if (pluginLoadErr.messageTemplate === "plugin-missing") {
+                pluginLoadErr.messageData.configStack.push(filePath);
+            }
+            throw pluginLoadErr;
+        }
     }
 
     // include full path of parser if present
diff --git a/tests/lib/config/config-file.js b/tests/lib/config/config-file.js
index ff0e41c93cc8..fd7bd4e3f66d 100644
--- a/tests/lib/config/config-file.js
+++ b/tests/lib/config/config-file.js
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ describe("ConfigFile", () => {
             }, /Failed to load config "plugin:enable-nonexistent-parser\/baz" to extend from./);
         });
 
-        it("should throw an error with a message template when a plugin is not found", () => {
+        it("should throw an error with a message template when a plugin referenced for a plugin config is not found", () => {
             try {
                 ConfigFile.applyExtends({
                     extends: "plugin:nonexistent-plugin/baz",
@@ -179,6 +179,28 @@ describe("ConfigFile", () => {
             assert.fail("Expected to throw an error");
         });
 
+        it("should throw an error with a message template when a plugin in the plugins list is not found", () => {
+            try {
+                ConfigFile.loadObject(configContext, {
+                    config: {
+                        plugins: ["nonexistent-plugin"]
+                    },
+                    filePath: "/whatever",
+                    configFullName: "configName"
+                });
+            } catch (err) {
+                assert.strictEqual(err.messageTemplate, "plugin-missing");
+                assert.deepStrictEqual(err.messageData, {
+                    pluginName: "eslint-plugin-nonexistent-plugin",
+                    pluginRootPath: getFixturePath("."),
+                    configStack: ["/whatever"]
+                });
+
+                return;
+            }
+            assert.fail("Expected to throw an error");
+        });
+
         it("should apply extensions recursively when specified from package", () => {
             const config = ConfigFile.applyExtends({
                 extends: "recursive-dependent",