diff --git a/docs/content/using-npm/config.md b/docs/content/using-npm/config.md
index c4d1afed35cc8..fd2d2a8123fa0 100644
--- a/docs/content/using-npm/config.md
+++ b/docs/content/using-npm/config.md
@@ -1080,6 +1080,20 @@ you want to move it to be a non-optional production dependency.
 This is the default behavior if `--save` is true, and neither `--save-dev`
 or `--save-optional` are true.
 
+#### `save-workspace-root`
+
+* Default: true
+* Type: Boolean
+
+When installing a workspace project, npm will place a `.npmrc` file in each
+workspace folder by default specifying the workspace root, so that a command
+from within that folder will behave the same as if it was run from the root
+project with a `--workspace` option.
+
+Set `save-workspace-root` to false to disable this behavior.
+
+This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.
+
 #### `scope`
 
 * Default: the scope of the current project, if any, or ""
@@ -1377,6 +1391,31 @@ brand new workspace within the project.
 
 This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.
 
+#### `workspace-root`
+
+* Default: null
+* Type: Path
+
+When operating within a workspace folder as the current working directory,
+this config value may be set to tell npm to use the specified folder as the
+project root.
+
+If set in a config file at `./.npmrc` (ie, a project-level config file), no
+other options may be set in that file, as the workspace root's project
+config will supercede it.
+
+When installing a workspace project, npm will place a `.npmrc` file in each
+workspace folder by default specifying the workspace root, so that a command
+from within that folder will behave the same as if it was run from the root
+project with a `--workspace` option.
+
+Note: when set as a relative path within a config file, this option is
+resolved relative to the directory holding the config file. This differs
+from most path-type configs, which are always resolved relative to the
+current working directory.
+
+This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.
+
 #### `workspaces`
 
 * Default: false
diff --git a/node_modules/@npmcli/config/lib/index.js b/node_modules/@npmcli/config/lib/index.js
index da5512bbbdf3c..e13e86ea97225 100644
--- a/node_modules/@npmcli/config/lib/index.js
+++ b/node_modules/@npmcli/config/lib/index.js
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ const myUid = process.getuid && process.getuid()
 /* istanbul ignore next */
 const myGid = process.getgid && process.getgid()
 
-const { resolve, dirname, join } = require('path')
+const { relative, resolve, dirname, join } = require('path')
 const { homedir } = require('os')
 const { promisify } = require('util')
 const fs = require('fs')
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ const confFileTypes = new Set([
   'global',
   'user',
   'project',
+  // the place where we store 'workspace-root' and the implicit workspace
+  'workspace',
 ])
 
 const confTypes = new Set([
@@ -65,9 +67,11 @@ const confTypes = new Set([
 
 const _loaded = Symbol('loaded')
 const _get = Symbol('get')
+const _set = Symbol('set')
 const _find = Symbol('find')
 const _loadObject = Symbol('loadObject')
 const _loadFile = Symbol('loadFile')
+const _readFile = Symbol('readFile')
 const _checkDeprecated = Symbol('checkDeprecated')
 const _flatten = Symbol('flatten')
 const _flatOptions = Symbol('flatOptions')
@@ -195,6 +199,9 @@ class Config {
   set (key, val, where = 'cli') {
     if (!this.loaded)
       throw new Error('call config.load() before setting values')
+    return this[_set](key, val, where)
+  }
+  [_set] (key, val, where) {
     if (!confTypes.has(where))
       throw new Error('invalid config location param: ' + where)
     this[_checkDeprecated](key)
@@ -257,8 +264,14 @@ class Config {
     process.emit('timeEnd', 'config:load:env')
 
     // next project config, which can affect userconfig location
+    // if we have a workspace config, we end up loading it there, too.
     process.emit('time', 'config:load:project')
     await this.loadProjectConfig()
+    // console.error({
+    //   'workspace-root': this[_get]('workspace-root'),
+    //   'workspace': this[_get]('workspace'),
+    //   localPrefix: this.localPrefix,
+    // })
     process.emit('timeEnd', 'config:load:project')
 
     // then user config, which can affect globalconfig location
@@ -484,19 +497,26 @@ class Config {
     return parseField(f, key, this, listElement)
   }
 
-  async [_loadFile] (file, type) {
-    process.emit('time', 'config:load:file:' + file)
-    console.error('whats readFile?', typeof readFile)
-    // only catch the error from readFile, not from the loadObject call
+  async [_readFile] (file) {
+    process.emit('time', 'config:load:readfile:' + file)
+
     const [er, data] = await readFile(file, 'utf8')
       .then(data => [null, ini.parse(data)], er => [er, null])
 
     // workspace-root is relative to the file when set in a file, not cwd
     // otherwise we get non-portable options set in saved ws project configs
     // we set it back to a relative path when saving.
-    if (data && data['workspace-root'])
+    if (data && data['workspace-root']) {
       data['workspace-root'] = resolve(dirname(file), data['workspace-root'])
+    }
 
+    process.emit('timeEnd', 'config:load:readfile:' + file)
+    return [er, data]
+  }
+
+  async [_loadFile] (file, type) {
+    process.emit('time', 'config:load:file:' + file)
+    const [er, data] = await this[_readFile](file)
     this[_loadObject](data, type, file, er)
     process.emit('timeEnd', 'config:load:file:' + file)
   }
@@ -506,35 +526,86 @@ class Config {
   }
 
   async loadProjectConfig () {
-    // the localPrefix can be set by the CLI config, but otherwise is
-    // found by walking up the folder tree
-    await this.loadLocalPrefix()
-    const projectFile = resolve(this.localPrefix, '.npmrc')
+    // if --prefix is in cli, then that is our localPrefix, full stop
+    // in that case, we do not walk up the folder tree, do not define
+    // an implicit workspace, etc.  We're done.
+    //
+    // walk up from cwd to the nearest nm/pj folder.  this is the projectDir
+    //
+    // if we already have a workspace-root defined, then the workspace-root
+    // is the only place a "project" config can be.  look there for it,
+    // set the workspace-root as our localPrefix.  If the projectDir is the
+    // same as our localPrefix, then we're done, and there is no implicit
+    // workspace.  Otherwise, the implicit workspace is the projectDir we
+    // walked up to.  Done.
+    //
+    // check the projectDir for a .npmrc.  If none found, then we have no
+    // project config, and no implicit workspace.
+    //
+    // If the projectDir/.npmrc sets workspace-root, then load it as the
+    // workspace config.  resolve the workspace-root, and load the project
+    // config from that location.
+    //
+    // Any time that we set a workspace-root, we should *also* set the
+    // localPrefix.
+
+    const projectDir = await this.findProjectDir(this.cwd)
+    const projectFile = resolve(projectDir, '.npmrc')
+
     // if we're in the ~ directory, and there happens to be a node_modules
     // folder (which is not TOO uncommon, it turns out), then we can end
     // up loading the "project" config where the "userconfig" will be,
     // which causes some calamaties.  So, we only load project config if
     // it doesn't match what the userconfig will be.
-    if (projectFile !== this[_get]('userconfig'))
-      return this[_loadFile](projectFile, 'project')
-    else {
+    if (projectFile === this[_get]('userconfig')) {
+      this.localPrefix = projectDir
       this.data.get('project').source = '(same as "user" config, ignored)'
       this.sources.set(this.data.get('project').source, 'project')
+      this.data.get('workspace').source = '(same as "user" config, ignored)'
+      this.sources.set(this.data.get('workspace').source, 'workspace')
+      return
     }
-  }
 
-  async loadLocalPrefix () {
-    const cliPrefix = this[_get]('prefix', 'cli')
-    if (cliPrefix) {
-      this.localPrefix = cliPrefix
+    // if we already set a workspace root before, then we know that whatever
+    // that was set to is our localPrefix, and the current project (if it's
+    // different) is an implicit workspace.
+    const wsRootBefore = this[_get]('workspace-root')
+    if (wsRootBefore) {
+      this.localPrefix = wsRootBefore
+      await this[_loadFile](`${wsRootBefore}/.npmrc`, 'project')
+      if (projectDir !== wsRootBefore) {
+        await this[_loadFile](projectFile, 'workspace')
+        this[_set]('workspace', [relative(this.localPrefix, projectDir)], 'workspace')
+      }
       return
     }
 
-    // if we have a workspace-root set at this point, then that's
-    // our local prefix, and walkup sets the --workspace config.
-    const wsRoot = this[_get]('workpace-root')
+    // ok, we have to check to see if a workspace-root is set in this file
+    // if it is, then we need to actually load the REAL project configs
+    // from the effective workspace-root.
+    const [er, data] = await this[_readFile](projectFile)
+    const wsRoot = !er && data && data['workspace-root']
+    if (wsRoot) {
+      this.localPrefix = wsRoot
+      await this[_loadFile](resolve(wsRoot, '.npmrc'), 'project')
+      this[_loadObject](data, 'workspace', projectFile, er)
+      this[_set]('workspace-root', wsRoot, 'workspace')
+      this[_set]('workspace', [relative(this.localPrefix, projectDir)], 'workspace')
+      return
+    } else {
+      this.localPrefix = projectDir
+      this[_loadObject](data, 'project', projectFile, er)
+      this.data.get('workspace').source = '(same as "project" config, ignored)'
+      this.sources.set(this.data.get('workspace').source, 'workspace')
+      return
+    }
+  }
 
-    for (const p of walkUp(this.cwd)) {
+  // starting from the start dir, walk up until we hit the first
+  // folder with a node_modules or package.json.  if none are found,
+  // then return the start dir itself.
+  async findProjectDir (start, end = resolve('/')) {
+    for (const p of walkUp(start)) {
       // walk up until we have a nm dir or a pj file
       const hasAny = (await Promise.all([
         stat(resolve(p, 'node_modules'))
@@ -544,13 +615,22 @@ class Config {
           .then(st => st.isFile())
           .catch(() => false),
       ])).some(is => is)
-      if (hasAny) {
-        this.localPrefix = p
-        return
-      }
+      if (hasAny)
+        return p
+      if (p === end)
+        break
     }
 
-    this.localPrefix = this.cwd
+    return start
+  }
+
+  async loadLocalPrefix () {
+    const cliPrefix = this[_get]('prefix', 'cli')
+    if (cliPrefix) {
+      this.localPrefix = cliPrefix
+      return
+    }
+    this.localPrefix = await this.findProjectDir(this.cwd)
   }
 
   loadUserConfig () {
@@ -585,6 +665,11 @@ class Config {
       'workspace-root': relative(dirname(conf.source), conf.data['workspace-root']),
     } : conf.data
 
+    // do not save an empty workspace-root field in the project config
+    if (data['workspace-root'] === '') {
+      delete data['workspace-root']
+    }
+
     const iniData = ini.stringify(data).trim() + '\n'
     if (!iniData.trim()) {
       // ignore the unlink error (eg, if file doesn't exist)
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js.test.cjs
index 01b137b8af54a..e7fb304d9f5de 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js.test.cjs
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ Array [
   "save-peer",
   "save-prefix",
   "save-prod",
+  "save-workspace-root",
   "scope",
   "script-shell",
   "searchexclude",
@@ -149,6 +150,7 @@ Array [
   "which",
   "workspace",
   "workspaces",
+  "workspace-root",
   "yes",
 ]
 `
@@ -1449,6 +1451,22 @@ This is the default behavior if \`--save\` is true, and neither \`--save-dev\`
 or \`--save-optional\` are true.
 `
 
+exports[`test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js TAP > config description for save-workspace-root 1`] = `
+#### \`save-workspace-root\`
+
+* Default: true
+* Type: Boolean
+
+When installing a workspace project, npm will place a \`.npmrc\` file in each
+workspace folder by default specifying the workspace root, so that a command
+from within that folder will behave the same as if it was run from the root
+project with a \`--workspace\` option.
+
+Set \`save-workspace-root\` to false to disable this behavior.
+
+This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.
+`
+
 exports[`test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js TAP > config description for scope 1`] = `
 #### \`scope\`
 
@@ -1843,6 +1861,33 @@ brand new workspace within the project.
 This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.
 `
 
+exports[`test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js TAP > config description for workspace-root 1`] = `
+#### \`workspace-root\`
+
+* Default: null
+* Type: Path
+
+When operating within a workspace folder as the current working directory,
+this config value may be set to tell npm to use the specified folder as the
+project root.
+
+If set in a config file at \`./.npmrc\` (ie, a project-level config file), no
+other options may be set in that file, as the workspace root's project
+config will supercede it.
+
+When installing a workspace project, npm will place a \`.npmrc\` file in each
+workspace folder by default specifying the workspace root, so that a command
+from within that folder will behave the same as if it was run from the root
+project with a \`--workspace\` option.
+
+Note: when set as a relative path within a config file, this option is
+resolved relative to the directory holding the config file. This differs
+from most path-type configs, which are always resolved relative to the
+current working directory.
+
+This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.
+`
+
 exports[`test/lib/utils/config/definitions.js TAP > config description for workspaces 1`] = `
 #### \`workspaces\`
 
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/describe-all.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/describe-all.js.test.cjs
index 8487b45174cc3..ac1150e05ce51 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/describe-all.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/config/describe-all.js.test.cjs
@@ -958,6 +958,20 @@ you want to move it to be a non-optional production dependency.
 This is the default behavior if \`--save\` is true, and neither \`--save-dev\`
 or \`--save-optional\` are true.
 
+#### \`save-workspace-root\`
+
+* Default: true
+* Type: Boolean
+
+When installing a workspace project, npm will place a \`.npmrc\` file in each
+workspace folder by default specifying the workspace root, so that a command
+from within that folder will behave the same as if it was run from the root
+project with a \`--workspace\` option.
+
+Set \`save-workspace-root\` to false to disable this behavior.
+
+This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.
+
 #### \`scope\`
 
 * Default: the scope of the current project, if any, or ""
@@ -1255,6 +1269,31 @@ brand new workspace within the project.
 
 This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.
 
+#### \`workspace-root\`
+
+* Default: null
+* Type: Path
+
+When operating within a workspace folder as the current working directory,
+this config value may be set to tell npm to use the specified folder as the
+project root.
+
+If set in a config file at \`./.npmrc\` (ie, a project-level config file), no
+other options may be set in that file, as the workspace root's project
+config will supercede it.
+
+When installing a workspace project, npm will place a \`.npmrc\` file in each
+workspace folder by default specifying the workspace root, so that a command
+from within that folder will behave the same as if it was run from the root
+project with a \`--workspace\` option.
+
+Note: when set as a relative path within a config file, this option is
+resolved relative to the directory holding the config file. This differs
+from most path-type configs, which are always resolved relative to the
+current working directory.
+
+This value is not exported to the environment for child processes.
+
 #### \`workspaces\`
 
 * Default: false
diff --git a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/exit-handler.js.test.cjs b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/exit-handler.js.test.cjs
index eb383c104a674..a547b63b2fbc2 100644
--- a/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/exit-handler.js.test.cjs
+++ b/tap-snapshots/test/lib/utils/exit-handler.js.test.cjs
@@ -6,15 +6,15 @@
  */
 'use strict'
 exports[`test/lib/utils/exit-handler.js TAP handles unknown error > should have expected log contents for unknown error 1`] = `
-24 verbose stack Error: ERROR
-25 verbose cwd {CWD}
-26 verbose Foo 1.0.0
-27 verbose argv "/node" "{CWD}/test/lib/utils/exit-handler.js"
-28 verbose node v1.0.0
-29 verbose npm  v1.0.0
-30 error code ERROR
-31 error ERR ERROR
-32 error ERR ERROR
-33 verbose exit 1
+26 verbose stack Error: ERROR
+27 verbose cwd {CWD}
+28 verbose Foo 1.0.0
+29 verbose argv "/node" "{CWD}/test/lib/utils/exit-handler.js"
+30 verbose node v1.0.0
+31 verbose npm  v1.0.0
+32 error code ERROR
+33 error ERR ERROR
+34 error ERR ERROR
+35 verbose exit 1
 
 `