diff --git a/src/client/opamConfigCommand.ml b/src/client/opamConfigCommand.ml
index 4937cde29a6..67637ccbc8f 100644
--- a/src/client/opamConfigCommand.ml
+++ b/src/client/opamConfigCommand.ml
@@ -315,32 +315,35 @@ 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;