diff --git a/cmd/gh/main.go b/cmd/gh/main.go
index 891d4b98f..7ee00b061 100644
--- a/cmd/gh/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gh/main.go
@@ -93,15 +93,6 @@ func mainRun() exitCode {
 		return exitError
 	}
 
-	if prompt, _ := cfg.Get("", "prompt"); prompt == "disabled" {
-		cmdFactory.IOStreams.SetNeverPrompt(true)
-	}
-	if ghPager, ghPagerExists := os.LookupEnv("GH_PAGER"); ghPagerExists {
-		cmdFactory.IOStreams.SetPager(ghPager)
-	} else if pager, _ := cfg.Get("", "pager"); pager != "" {
-		cmdFactory.IOStreams.SetPager(pager)
-	}
-
 	// TODO: remove after FromFullName has been revisited
 	if host, err := cfg.DefaultHost(); err == nil {
 		ghrepo.SetDefaultHost(host)
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/factory/default.go b/pkg/cmd/factory/default.go
index a5a71f579..eec60bc56 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/factory/default.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/factory/default.go
@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@ import (
 
 func New(appVersion string) *cmdutil.Factory {
 	f := &cmdutil.Factory{
-		IOStreams:  iostreams.System(), // No factory dependencies
-		Config:     configFunc(),       // No factory dependencies
-		Branch:     branchFunc(),       // No factory dependencies
-		Executable: executable(),       // No factory dependencies
+		Config:     configFunc(), // No factory dependencies
+		Branch:     branchFunc(), // No factory dependencies
+		Executable: executable(), // No factory dependencies
 	}
 
+	f.IOStreams = ioStreams(f)                   // Depends on Config
 	f.HttpClient = httpClientFunc(f, appVersion) // Depends on Config, IOStreams, and appVersion
 	f.Remotes = remotesFunc(f)                   // Depends on Config
 	f.BaseRepo = BaseRepoFunc(f)                 // Depends on Remotes
@@ -125,3 +125,27 @@ func branchFunc() func() (string, error) {
 		return currentBranch, nil
 	}
 }
+
+func ioStreams(f *cmdutil.Factory) *iostreams.IOStreams {
+	io := iostreams.System()
+	cfg, err := f.Config()
+	if err != nil {
+		return io
+	}
+
+	if prompt, _ := cfg.Get("", "prompt"); prompt == "disabled" {
+		io.SetNeverPrompt(true)
+	}
+
+	// Pager precedence
+	// 1. GH_PAGER
+	// 2. pager from config
+	// 3. PAGER
+	if ghPager, ghPagerExists := os.LookupEnv("GH_PAGER"); ghPagerExists {
+		io.SetPager(ghPager)
+	} else if pager, _ := cfg.Get("", "pager"); pager != "" {
+		io.SetPager(pager)
+	}
+
+	return io
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/factory/default_test.go b/pkg/cmd/factory/default_test.go
index 1f60b6b23..1bf8702c8 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/factory/default_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/factory/default_test.go
@@ -272,6 +272,108 @@ func Test_OverrideBaseRepo(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func Test_ioStreams_pager(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		env       map[string]string
+		config    config.Config
+		wantPager string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "GH_PAGER and PAGER set",
+			env: map[string]string{
+				"GH_PAGER": "GH_PAGER",
+				"PAGER":    "PAGER",
+			},
+			wantPager: "GH_PAGER",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "GH_PAGER and config pager set",
+			env: map[string]string{
+				"GH_PAGER": "GH_PAGER",
+			},
+			config:    pagerConfig(),
+			wantPager: "GH_PAGER",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "config pager and PAGER set",
+			env: map[string]string{
+				"PAGER": "PAGER",
+			},
+			config:    pagerConfig(),
+			wantPager: "CONFIG_PAGER",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "only PAGER set",
+			env: map[string]string{
+				"PAGER": "PAGER",
+			},
+			wantPager: "PAGER",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "GH_PAGER set to blank string",
+			env: map[string]string{
+				"GH_PAGER": "",
+				"PAGER":    "PAGER",
+			},
+			wantPager: "",
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if tt.env != nil {
+				for k, v := range tt.env {
+					old := os.Getenv(k)
+					os.Setenv(k, v)
+					if k == "GH_PAGER" {
+						defer os.Unsetenv(k)
+					} else {
+						defer os.Setenv(k, old)
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			f := New("1")
+			if tt.config != nil {
+				f.Config = func() (config.Config, error) {
+					return tt.config, nil
+				}
+			}
+			io := ioStreams(f)
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.wantPager, io.GetPager())
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_ioStreams_prompt(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name           string
+		config         config.Config
+		promptDisabled bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:           "default config",
+			promptDisabled: false,
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "config with prompt disabled",
+			config:         disablePromptConfig(),
+			promptDisabled: true,
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			f := New("1")
+			if tt.config != nil {
+				f.Config = func() (config.Config, error) {
+					return tt.config, nil
+				}
+			}
+			io := ioStreams(f)
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.promptDisabled, io.GetNeverPrompt())
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func defaultConfig() config.Config {
 	return config.InheritEnv(config.NewFromString(heredoc.Doc(`
     hosts:
@@ -279,3 +381,11 @@ func defaultConfig() config.Config {
         oauth_token: BLAH
 		`)))
 }
+
+func pagerConfig() config.Config {
+	return config.NewFromString("pager: CONFIG_PAGER")
+}
+
+func disablePromptConfig() config.Config {
+	return config.NewFromString("prompt: disabled")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/iostreams/iostreams.go b/pkg/iostreams/iostreams.go
index ec2503151..7e5aa0023 100644
--- a/pkg/iostreams/iostreams.go
+++ b/pkg/iostreams/iostreams.go
@@ -140,6 +140,10 @@ func (s *IOStreams) SetPager(cmd string) {
 	s.pagerCommand = cmd
 }
 
+func (s *IOStreams) GetPager() string {
+	return s.pagerCommand
+}
+
 func (s *IOStreams) StartPager() error {
 	if s.pagerCommand == "" || s.pagerCommand == "cat" || !s.IsStdoutTTY() {
 		return nil
@@ -202,6 +206,10 @@ func (s *IOStreams) CanPrompt() bool {
 	return s.IsStdinTTY() && s.IsStdoutTTY()
 }
 
+func (s *IOStreams) GetNeverPrompt() bool {
+	return s.neverPrompt
+}
+
 func (s *IOStreams) SetNeverPrompt(v bool) {
 	s.neverPrompt = v
 }
@@ -281,8 +289,6 @@ func System() *IOStreams {
 	stdoutIsTTY := isTerminal(os.Stdout)
 	stderrIsTTY := isTerminal(os.Stderr)
 
-	pagerCommand := os.Getenv("PAGER")
-
 	io := &IOStreams{
 		In:           os.Stdin,
 		originalOut:  os.Stdout,
@@ -290,7 +296,7 @@ func System() *IOStreams {
 		ErrOut:       colorable.NewColorable(os.Stderr),
 		colorEnabled: EnvColorForced() || (!EnvColorDisabled() && stdoutIsTTY),
 		is256enabled: Is256ColorSupported(),
-		pagerCommand: pagerCommand,
+		pagerCommand: os.Getenv("PAGER"),
 	}
 
 	if stdoutIsTTY && stderrIsTTY {