diff --git a/cobra.go b/cobra.go
index e0b0947..67c5799 100644
--- a/cobra.go
+++ b/cobra.go
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ const (
 	defaultCommandSorting   = true
 	defaultCaseInsensitive  = false
 	defaultTraverseRunHooks = false
+	defaultErrorOnUnknownSubcommand = false
 )
 
 // EnablePrefixMatching allows setting automatic prefix matching. Automatic prefix matching can be a dangerous thing
@@ -65,6 +66,17 @@ var EnableCaseInsensitive = defaultCaseInsensitive
 // By default this is disabled, which means only the first run hook to be found is executed.
 var EnableTraverseRunHooks = defaultTraverseRunHooks
 
+// EnableErrorOnUnknownSubcommand controls the behavior of subcommand handling.
+// When the flag is set true the behavior of Command.Execute() will change:
+// If a sub-subcommand is not found ErrUnknownSubcommand will be returned on calling
+// Command.Exec() instead of the old behavior where a nil error was sent.
+// If the flag is false (default) the old behavior is performed.
+// For this behavior the child subcommand must be nil.
+// Example: in root/service/run - there would be an existing subcommand `run`
+// in root/service/unknown - there would be an unknown subcommand `unknown` therefore returning an error
+// `service` must have a nil Command.Run() function for this.
+var EnableErrorOnUnknownSubcommand = defaultErrorOnUnknownSubcommand
+
 // MousetrapHelpText enables an information splash screen on Windows
 // if the CLI is started from explorer.exe.
 // To disable the mousetrap, just set this variable to blank string ("").
diff --git a/command.go b/command.go
index f583275..af61b49 100644
--- a/command.go
+++ b/command.go
@@ -258,17 +258,6 @@ type Command struct {
 	// SuggestionsMinimumDistance defines minimum levenshtein distance to display suggestions.
 	// Must be > 0.
 	SuggestionsMinimumDistance int
-
-	// ErrorOnUnknownSubcommand controls the behavior of subcommand handling.
-	// When the flag is set true the behavior of Command.Execute() will change:
-	// If a sub-subcommand is not found ErrUnknownSubcommand will be returned on calling
-	// Command.Exec() instead of the old behavior where a nil error was sent.
-	// If the flag is false (default) the old behavior is performed.
-	// For this behavior the child subcommand must be nil.
-	// Example: in root/service/run - there would be an existing subcommand `run`
-	// in root/service/unknown - there would be an unknown subcommand `unknown` therefore returning an error
-	// `service` must have a nil Command.Run() function for this.
-	ErrorOnUnknownSubcommand bool
 }
 
 // Context returns underlying command context. If command was executed
@@ -939,7 +928,7 @@ func (c *Command) execute(a []string) (err error) {
 	}
 
 	if !c.Runnable() {
-		if c.ErrorOnUnknownSubcommand {
+		if EnableErrorOnUnknownSubcommand {
 			return ErrUnknownSubcommand
 		} else {
 			return flag.ErrHelp
diff --git a/command_test.go b/command_test.go
index 78f86ed..b901b56 100644
--- a/command_test.go
+++ b/command_test.go
@@ -179,7 +179,9 @@ func TestSubcommandExecuteMissingSubcommand(t *testing.T) {
 	rootCmd := &Command{Use: "root", Run: emptyRun}
 	const childName = "child"
 	const grandchildName = "grandchild"
-	childCmd := &Command{Use: childName, Run: nil, ErrorOnUnknownSubcommand: false}
+	EnableErrorOnUnknownSubcommand = false
+	defer func() { EnableErrorOnUnknownSubcommand = defaultErrorOnUnknownSubcommand }()
+	childCmd := &Command{Use: childName, Run: nil}
 	child2Cmd := &Command{Use: grandchildName, Run: emptyRun}
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(childCmd)
 	childCmd.AddCommand(child2Cmd)
@@ -225,7 +227,9 @@ func TestSubcommandExecuteMissingSubcommandWithErrorOnUnknownSubcommand(t *testi
 	rootCmd := &Command{Use: "root", Run: emptyRun}
 	const childName = "child"
 	const grandchildName = "grandchild"
-	childCmd := &Command{Use: childName, Run: nil, ErrorOnUnknownSubcommand: true}
+	EnableErrorOnUnknownSubcommand = true
+	defer func() { EnableErrorOnUnknownSubcommand = defaultErrorOnUnknownSubcommand }()
+	childCmd := &Command{Use: childName, Run: nil}
 	child2Cmd := &Command{Use: grandchildName, Run: emptyRun}
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(childCmd)
 	childCmd.AddCommand(child2Cmd)