diff --git a/.golangci.reference.yml b/.golangci.reference.yml
index 8f337f182f2a..5e14e144fcce 100644
--- a/.golangci.reference.yml
+++ b/.golangci.reference.yml
@@ -1159,6 +1159,10 @@ linters-settings:
     require-specific: true
 
   nonamedreturns:
+    # Report named error if it is assigned inside defer.
+    # Default: false
+    report-error-in-defer: true
+    # DEPRECATED use report-error-in-defer instead.
     # Do not complain about named error, if it is assigned inside defer.
     # Default: false
     allow-error-in-defer: true
diff --git a/pkg/config/linters_settings.go b/pkg/config/linters_settings.go
index 3b5ceddf32de..43be7f6d6f68 100644
--- a/pkg/config/linters_settings.go
+++ b/pkg/config/linters_settings.go
@@ -486,7 +486,8 @@ type NoLintLintSettings struct {
 }
 
 type NoNamedReturnsSettings struct {
-	AllowErrorInDefer bool `mapstructure:"allow-error-in-defer"`
+	AllowErrorInDefer  bool `mapstructure:"allow-error-in-defer"` // Deprecated: use ReportErrorInDefer instead.
+	ReportErrorInDefer bool `mapstructure:"report-error-in-defer"`
 }
 type ParallelTestSettings struct {
 	IgnoreMissing bool `mapstructure:"ignore-missing"`
diff --git a/pkg/golinters/nonamedreturns.go b/pkg/golinters/nonamedreturns.go
index a8166f81672b..022551795454 100644
--- a/pkg/golinters/nonamedreturns.go
+++ b/pkg/golinters/nonamedreturns.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ func NewNoNamedReturns(settings *config.NoNamedReturnsSettings) *goanalysis.Lint
 	if settings != nil {
 		cfg = map[string]map[string]interface{}{
 			a.Name: {
-				analyzer.FlagAllowErrorInDefer: settings.AllowErrorInDefer,
+				analyzer.FlagReportErrorInDefer: settings.ReportErrorInDefer || settings.AllowErrorInDefer,
 			},
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/test/testdata/configs/nonamedreturns.yml b/test/testdata/configs/nonamedreturns.yml
index b73a2c1cb645..8976df8af9fa 100644
--- a/test/testdata/configs/nonamedreturns.yml
+++ b/test/testdata/configs/nonamedreturns.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 linters-settings:
   nonamedreturns:
-    allow-error-in-defer: true
+    report-error-in-defer: true