diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/config_env.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/config_env.rs
index 51e6e86246..dd0fad7a90 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/config_env.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/config_env.rs
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ impl Command for ConfigEnv {
         let mut nu_config = config_path.clone();
         nu_config.push("env.nu");
 
-        let (item, config_args) = get_editor(engine_state, stack)?;
+        let (item, config_args) = get_editor(engine_state, stack, call.head)?;
 
         gen_command(call.head, nu_config, item, config_args, env_vars_str).run_with_input(
             engine_state,
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/config_nu.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/config_nu.rs
index 122aeaae24..f03f798e8d 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/config_nu.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/config_nu.rs
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ impl Command for ConfigNu {
         let mut nu_config = config_path.clone();
         nu_config.push("config.nu");
 
-        let (item, config_args) = get_editor(engine_state, stack)?;
+        let (item, config_args) = get_editor(engine_state, stack, call.head)?;
 
         gen_command(call.head, nu_config, item, config_args, env_vars_str).run_with_input(
             engine_state,
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/utils.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/utils.rs
index 107d35b476..4e1bfb5bf6 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/utils.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/env/config/utils.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use std::{collections::HashMap, path::PathBuf};
 
 use nu_protocol::{
     engine::{EngineState, Stack},
-    Span, Spanned,
+    ShellError, Span, Spanned,
 };
 
 use crate::ExternalCommand;
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ use crate::ExternalCommand;
 pub(crate) fn get_editor(
     engine_state: &EngineState,
     stack: &mut Stack,
-) -> Result<(String, Vec<String>), nu_protocol::ShellError> {
+    span: Span,
+) -> Result<(String, Vec<String>), ShellError> {
     let config = engine_state.get_config();
     let env_vars = stack.get_env_vars(engine_state);
     let editor = if !config.buffer_editor.is_empty() {
@@ -19,10 +20,17 @@ pub(crate) fn get_editor(
         value.as_string()
     } else if let Some(value) = env_vars.get("VISUAL") {
         value.as_string()
-    } else if cfg!(target_os = "windows") {
-        Ok("notepad".to_string())
     } else {
-        Ok("nano".to_string())
+        Err(ShellError::GenericError(
+            "No editor configured".into(),
+            "Please specify one via environment variables $EDITOR or $VISUAL".into(),
+            Some(span),
+            Some(
+                "Nushell's config file can be found with the command: $nu.config-path. For more help: (https://nushell.sh/book/configuration.html#configurations-with-built-in-commands)"
+                    .into(),
+            ),
+            vec![],
+        ))
     }?;
     if let Some((a, b)) = editor.split_once(' ') {
         Ok((