diff --git a/include/haproxy/action-t.h b/include/haproxy/action-t.h
index 08f250897c..45d2bd144b 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/action-t.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/action-t.h
@@ -186,6 +186,10 @@ struct act_rule {
 			void *p[4];
 		} act;                         /* generic pointers to be used by custom actions */
 	} arg;                                 /* arguments used by some actions */
+	struct {
+		char *file;                    /* file name where the rule appears (or NULL) */
+		int line;                      /* line number where the rule appears */
+	} conf;
 };
 
 struct action_kw {
diff --git a/src/action.c b/src/action.c
index a363dea803..ba465a2532 100644
--- a/src/action.c
+++ b/src/action.c
@@ -297,6 +297,8 @@ struct act_rule *new_act_rule(enum act_from from, const char *file, int linenum)
 	if (!rule)
 		return NULL;
 	rule->from = from;
+	rule->conf.file = file ? strdup(file) : NULL;
+	rule->conf.line = linenum;
 	return rule;
 }
 
@@ -309,6 +311,7 @@ void free_act_rules(struct list *rules)
 		free_acl_cond(rule->cond);
 		if (rule->release_ptr)
 			rule->release_ptr(rule);
+		free(rule->conf.file);
 		free(rule);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/vars.c b/src/vars.c
index 087bd1f5ba..10f7d82d15 100644
--- a/src/vars.c
+++ b/src/vars.c
@@ -919,6 +919,8 @@ static int vars_parse_global_set_var(char **args, int section_type, struct proxy
 	struct act_rule rule = {
 		.arg.vars.scope = SCOPE_PROC,
 		.from = ACT_F_CFG_PARSER,
+		.conf.file = (char *)file,
+		.conf.line = line,
 	};
 	enum obj_type objt = OBJ_TYPE_NONE;
 	struct session *sess = NULL;
@@ -1038,6 +1040,8 @@ static int vars_parse_cli_set_var(char **args, char *payload, struct appctx *app
 	struct act_rule rule = {
 		.arg.vars.scope = SCOPE_PROC,
 		.from = ACT_F_CLI_PARSER,
+		.conf.file = "CLI",
+		.conf.line = 0,
 	};
 	enum obj_type objt = OBJ_TYPE_NONE;
 	struct session *sess = NULL;