diff --git a/lib/preprocessor.cpp b/lib/preprocessor.cpp
index 3e134f29f..db92acb4c 100644
--- a/lib/preprocessor.cpp
+++ b/lib/preprocessor.cpp
@@ -2666,10 +2666,12 @@ bool Preprocessor::validateCfg(const std::string &code, const std::string &cfg)
 void Preprocessor::validateCfgError(const std::string &cfg)
 {
     const std::string id = "ConfigurationNotChecked";
-    const std::list<ErrorLogger::ErrorMessage::FileLocation> locationList;
-    const Severity::SeverityType severity = Severity::information;
-    ErrorLogger::ErrorMessage errmsg(locationList, severity, "Skipping configuration '" + cfg + "' because it seems to be invalid. Use -D if you want to check it.", id, false);
-    errmsg.file0 = file0;
+    std::list<ErrorLogger::ErrorMessage::FileLocation> locationList;
+    ErrorLogger::ErrorMessage::FileLocation loc;
+    loc.line = 1;
+    loc.setfile(file0);
+    locationList.push_back(loc);
+    ErrorLogger::ErrorMessage errmsg(locationList, Severity::information, "Skipping configuration '" + cfg + "' because it seems to be invalid. Use -D if you want to check it.", id, false);
     _errorLogger->reportInfo(errmsg);
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/preprocessor.h b/lib/preprocessor.h
index 33b788a8d..577d2b165 100644
--- a/lib/preprocessor.h
+++ b/lib/preprocessor.h
@@ -239,6 +239,10 @@ public:
      */
     std::string handleIncludes(const std::string &code, const std::string &filePath, const std::list<std::string> &includePaths, std::map<std::string,std::string> &defs, std::list<std::string> includes = std::list<std::string>());
 
+    void setFile0(const std::string &f) {
+        file0 = f;
+    }
+
 private:
     void missingInclude(const std::string &filename, unsigned int linenr, const std::string &header, bool userheader);
 
diff --git a/test/testpreprocessor.cpp b/test/testpreprocessor.cpp
index f7d4ad68f..68b2e2add 100644
--- a/test/testpreprocessor.cpp
+++ b/test/testpreprocessor.cpp
@@ -3676,6 +3676,15 @@ private:
         ASSERT_EQUALS(true, preprocessor.validateCfg("\"\\\"DEBUG()\"", "DEBUG"));
         ASSERT_EQUALS(false, preprocessor.validateCfg("\"DEBUG()\" DEBUG", "DEBUG"));
         ASSERT_EQUALS(true, preprocessor.validateCfg("#undef DEBUG", "DEBUG"));
+
+        // #4301:
+        // #ifdef A
+        // int a = A;  // <- using macro. must use -D so "A" will get a proper value
+        errout.str("");
+        settings.addEnabled("all");
+        preprocessor.setFile0("test.c");
+        ASSERT_EQUALS(false, preprocessor.validateCfg("int a=A;", "A"));
+        ASSERT_EQUALS("[test.c:1]: (information) Skipping configuration 'A' because it seems to be invalid. Use -D if you want to check it.\n", errout.str());
     }
 
     void if_sizeof() { // #4071