diff --git a/pkg/commands/run.go b/pkg/commands/run.go
index 3aa467daef3f..57f3cdd9936f 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/run.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/run.go
@@ -186,6 +186,10 @@ func (c *runCommand) persistentPostRunE(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 }
 
 func (c *runCommand) preRunE(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	if c.cfg.GetConfigDir() != "" && c.cfg.Version != "" {
+		return errors.New("you are using a configuration file for golangci-lint v2 with golangci-lint v1: please use golangci-lint v2")
+	}
+
 	dbManager, err := lintersdb.NewManager(c.log.Child(logutils.DebugKeyLintersDB), c.cfg,
 		lintersdb.NewLinterBuilder(), lintersdb.NewPluginModuleBuilder(c.log), lintersdb.NewPluginGoBuilder(c.log))
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index 4ddd896170d9..ee7a62b7e229 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	cfgDir   string // Path to the directory containing golangci-lint config file.
 	basePath string // Path the root directory related to [Run.RelativePathMode].
 
+	Version string `mapstructure:"version"` // From v2, to be able to detect v2 config file.
+
 	Run Run `mapstructure:"run"`
 
 	Output Output `mapstructure:"output"`