diff --git a/src/client/opamConfigCommand.ml b/src/client/opamConfigCommand.ml
index 4937cde29a6..9bd04dc9d0d 100644
--- a/src/client/opamConfigCommand.ml
+++ b/src/client/opamConfigCommand.ml
@@ -29,10 +29,25 @@ let help t =
       all_global_vars
       (OpamVariable.Map.map snd t.switch_global.global_variables)
   in
-  List.map (fun (var, doc) -> [
+  let env = OpamPackageVar.resolve t in
+  List.map (fun (var, doc) ->
+      let content =
+        OpamFilter.ident_string env ~default:"" ([],var,None)
+      in
+      let doc =
+        if doc = OpamGlobalState.inferred_from_system then
+          match OpamStd.Option.Op.(
+              OpamVariable.Map.find_opt var t.switch_global.global_variables
+              >>| fst
+              >>= Lazy.force) with
+          | Some c when (OpamVariable.string_of_variable_contents c) <> content ->
+            "Set throught local opam config or env"
+          | _ -> doc
+        else doc
+      in
+      [
         OpamVariable.to_string var % `bold;
-        OpamFilter.ident_string (OpamPackageVar.resolve t) ~default:""
-          ([],var,None) % `blue;
+        content % `blue;
         "#"; doc
       ])
     (OpamVariable.Map.bindings all_global_vars) |>
@@ -315,32 +330,35 @@ let set_global var value =
   OpamGlobalState.write { gt with config }
 
 let variable gt v =
-  match OpamPackageVar.resolve_global gt v with
-  | Some c ->
-    OpamConsole.msg "%s\n" (OpamVariable.string_of_variable_contents c)
-  | None ->
+  let raw_switch_content =
     match OpamStateConfig.get_switch_opt () with
-    | None ->
-      OpamConsole.error_and_exit `Not_found
-        "Variable %s not found"
-        (OpamVariable.Full.to_string v)
     | Some switch ->
       let switch_config =
         OpamFile.Switch_config.safe_read
           (OpamPath.Switch.switch_config gt.root switch)
       in
-      match OpamPackageVar.resolve_switch_raw gt switch switch_config v with
-      | Some c ->
-        OpamConsole.msg "%s\n" (OpamVariable.string_of_variable_contents c)
-      | None ->
-        OpamSwitchState.with_ `Lock_none gt @@ fun st ->
-        match OpamPackageVar.resolve st v with
-        | Some c ->
-          OpamConsole.msg "%s\n" (OpamVariable.string_of_variable_contents c)
-        | None ->
-          OpamConsole.error_and_exit `Not_found
-            "Variable %s not found"
-            (OpamVariable.Full.to_string v)
+      OpamPackageVar.resolve_switch_raw gt switch switch_config v
+    | None -> None
+  in
+  let switch_content =
+    match raw_switch_content with
+    | None when not (OpamVariable.Full.is_global v) ->
+      OpamSwitchState.with_ `Lock_none gt @@ fun st ->
+      OpamPackageVar.resolve st v
+    | rsc -> rsc
+  in
+  let content =
+    match switch_content with
+    | Some _ as some -> some
+    | None -> OpamPackageVar.resolve_global gt v
+  in
+  match content with
+  | Some c -> OpamConsole.msg "%s\n" (OpamVariable.string_of_variable_contents c)
+  | None ->
+    OpamConsole.error_and_exit `Not_found
+      "Variable %s not found"
+      (OpamVariable.Full.to_string v)
+
 
 let exec gt ?set_opamroot ?set_opamswitch ~inplace_path command =
   log "config-exec command=%a" (slog (String.concat " ")) command;
diff --git a/src/state/opamGlobalState.ml b/src/state/opamGlobalState.ml
index 92aa9bca2a7..25815cd53b9 100644
--- a/src/state/opamGlobalState.ml
+++ b/src/state/opamGlobalState.ml
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ let load_config global_lock root =
   OpamFormatUpgrade.as_necessary global_lock root config;
   config
 
+let inferred_from_system = "Inferred from system"
+
 let load lock_kind =
   let root = OpamStateConfig.(!r.root_dir) in
   log "LOAD-GLOBAL-STATE @ %a" (slog OpamFilename.Dir.to_string) root;
@@ -64,7 +66,9 @@ let load lock_kind =
     List.fold_left (fun acc (v,value) ->
         OpamVariable.Map.add v
           (lazy (Some (OpamStd.Option.default (S "unknown") (Lazy.force value))),
-           "Inferred from system")
+          (* Careful on changing it, it is used to determine user defined
+             variables on `config report`. See [OpamConfigCommand.help]. *)
+           inferred_from_system)
           acc)
       OpamVariable.Map.empty
       (OpamSysPoll.variables)
diff --git a/src/state/opamGlobalState.mli b/src/state/opamGlobalState.mli
index 4a298d8f0e0..f74fbba4e2a 100644
--- a/src/state/opamGlobalState.mli
+++ b/src/state/opamGlobalState.mli
@@ -60,3 +60,6 @@ val write: rw global_state -> unit
     registered if it is set and exists, and removing any non-existing switches.
     Writes back to disk if possible (ie lock is available) *)
 val fix_switch_list: 'a global_state -> 'a global_state
+
+(** Description used for system inferred variables *)
+val inferred_from_system: string