diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index aa0a37c..3176723 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -235,6 +235,27 @@ await loadConfig({
 
 When using the `native` loader and `fresh` is enabled, `dependencies` contains absolute paths for files imported by the config file.
 
+### withConfigMeta
+
+Preserve the original config path and dependencies when loading through an adapter:
+
+```ts
+import { withConfigMeta } from '@rstackjs/load-config';
+
+const config = { name: 'my-tool' };
+
+export default withConfigMeta(config, {
+  filePath: '/project/project.config.ts',
+  dependencies: ['/project/shared.ts'],
+});
+```
+
+`loadConfig` uses the supplied `filePath` and merges `dependencies` with the adapter file and its collected dependencies, removing duplicates.
+
+- Use absolute paths. `filePath: null` means no underlying config was found; `dependencies` is optional.
+- The helper modifies and returns the original config object. Repeated calls replace its metadata. Frozen or non-extensible objects are not supported.
+- Call it on the final config object: object spread and JSON serialization discard the metadata.
+
 ## License
 
 [MIT](./LICENSE).
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 93f2d44..9c8d65f 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { getConfigExport, isConfigFunction } from './helpers.js';
 import { loadWithJiti } from './jiti.js';
+import { getConfigMeta } from './meta.js';
 import { JS_CONFIG_REGEXP, loadWithNative } from './native.js';
 import { resolveConfigPath } from './resolve.js';
 import type {
@@ -8,8 +9,10 @@ import type {
   LoadConfigResult,
 } from './types.js';
 
+export { withConfigMeta } from './meta.js';
 export type {
   ConfigDefinition,
+  ConfigFileMeta,
   ConfigLoader,
   LoadConfigOptions,
   LoadConfigResult,
@@ -84,6 +87,7 @@ export async function loadConfig<
   }
 
   const { configExport, dependencies } = loadedConfig;
+  let content: Config;
 
   if (isConfigFunction(configExport)) {
     const result = await configExport(...configParams);
@@ -92,16 +96,24 @@ export async function loadConfig<
       throw new Error('The config function must return a config object.');
     }
 
-    return {
-      content: result,
-      filePath: configPath,
-      dependencies,
-    };
+    content = result;
+  } else {
+    content = configExport;
   }
 
-  return {
-    content: configExport,
+  const meta = getConfigMeta(content);
+  const result: LoadConfigResult<Config> = {
+    content,
     filePath: configPath,
     dependencies,
   };
+
+  if (meta) {
+    result.filePath = meta.filePath;
+    result.dependencies = [
+      ...new Set([...(meta.dependencies ?? []), configPath, ...dependencies]),
+    ];
+  }
+
+  return result;
 }
diff --git a/src/meta.ts b/src/meta.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0beef15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/meta.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import type { ConfigFileMeta } from './types.js';
+
+// Share the key across fresh imports and separately bundled copies of the loader.
+const CONFIG_META = Symbol.for('@rstackjs/load-config/meta');
+
+/**
+ * Attach file metadata in place and return the original configuration object.
+ * Repeated calls replace the metadata. Requires an extensible, unfrozen object.
+ * Call this after merging the config: object spread does not preserve metadata.
+ */
+export function withConfigMeta<Config extends object>(
+  config: Config,
+  meta: ConfigFileMeta,
+): Config {
+  Object.defineProperty(config, CONFIG_META, {
+    configurable: true,
+    value: {
+      filePath: meta.filePath,
+      dependencies: [...(meta.dependencies ?? [])],
+    } satisfies ConfigFileMeta,
+  });
+
+  return config;
+}
+
+export function getConfigMeta(config: unknown): ConfigFileMeta | undefined {
+  if (
+    config !== null &&
+    typeof config === 'object' &&
+    Object.hasOwn(config, CONFIG_META)
+  ) {
+    return (config as { [CONFIG_META]: ConfigFileMeta })[CONFIG_META];
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index eb96cc8..b086142 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -50,19 +50,34 @@ export type LoadConfigOptions<Params extends unknown[] = []> = {
   fresh?: boolean;
 };
 
+export type ConfigFileMeta = {
+  /**
+   * Absolute path of the actual configuration file.
+   * Use `null` when no underlying configuration file was found.
+   */
+  filePath: string | null;
+  /**
+   * Absolute paths of additional configuration dependencies.
+   * These are merged with the adapter file and its collected dependencies.
+   */
+  dependencies?: readonly string[];
+};
+
 export type LoadConfigResult<Config = unknown> = {
   /**
    * The loaded configuration object.
    */
   content: Config;
   /**
-   * The path to the loaded configuration file.
-   * Return `null` if the configuration file is not found.
+   * The path to the loaded configuration file, or the source set by `withConfigMeta`.
+   * Returns `null` if no configuration file was found, including an explicit
+   * `null` source set by `withConfigMeta`.
    */
   filePath: string | null;
   /**
-   * Absolute file paths of statically imported (relative) dependencies of the
-   * config file.
+   * Absolute paths of collected configuration dependencies. When `withConfigMeta`
+   * is used, also includes explicit dependencies and the loaded adapter file,
+   * with duplicates removed.
    */
   dependencies: string[];
 };
diff --git a/tests/config-meta/actual.config.mjs b/tests/config-meta/actual.config.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..682d1af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config-meta/actual.config.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+import { name } from './shared.mjs';
+
+export default { name };
diff --git a/tests/config-meta/adapter.config.ts b/tests/config-meta/adapter.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aff0c14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config-meta/adapter.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { withConfigMeta } from '../../src/meta.ts';
+import config from './actual.config.mjs';
+
+const filePath = fileURLToPath(new URL('./actual.config.mjs', import.meta.url));
+const dependency = fileURLToPath(new URL('./shared.mjs', import.meta.url));
+const meta = { filePath, dependencies: [dependency, dependency] };
+
+// Repeated calls replace metadata on the same object.
+const result = withConfigMeta({ ...config }, { filePath: null });
+withConfigMeta(result, meta);
+export default result;
+
+export const sync = (name: string) => withConfigMeta({ name }, meta);
+export const asyncConfig = async (name: string) => sync(name);
+export const missing = withConfigMeta({}, { filePath: null });
+export const ordinary = {
+  content: 'ordinary',
+  filePath: 'ordinary',
+  dependencies: [],
+};
diff --git a/tests/config-meta/index.test.ts b/tests/config-meta/index.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f0fd866
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config-meta/index.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import { join } from 'node:path';
+import { expect, test } from 'rstack/test';
+import { loadConfig, withConfigMeta } from '../../src/index';
+
+const configPath = join(import.meta.dirname, 'adapter.config.ts');
+const sourcePath = join(import.meta.dirname, 'actual.config.mjs');
+const dependencyPath = join(import.meta.dirname, 'shared.mjs');
+
+const load = (exportName: string | false) =>
+  loadConfig({ path: configPath, exportName });
+
+test('attaches metadata in place without changing enumerable fields', () => {
+  const config = { name: 'app' };
+  const result = withConfigMeta(config, { filePath: sourcePath });
+
+  expect(result).toBe(config);
+  expect(Object.keys(result)).toEqual(['name']);
+  expect(JSON.stringify(result)).toBe('{"name":"app"}');
+  expect(Object.getOwnPropertySymbols({ ...result })).toEqual([]);
+});
+
+test.each(['native', 'jiti'] as const)(
+  '%s: loads metadata from config exports',
+  async (loader) => {
+    for (const [exportName, name] of [
+      ['default', 'shared'],
+      ['sync', 'from params'],
+      ['asyncConfig', 'from params'],
+    ]) {
+      const result = await loadConfig({
+        path: configPath,
+        loader,
+        exportName,
+        configParams: ['from params'],
+      });
+
+      expect(result).toEqual({
+        content: { name },
+        filePath: sourcePath,
+        dependencies: [dependencyPath, configPath],
+      });
+    }
+  },
+);
+
+test('preserves null sources and omitted dependencies', async () => {
+  expect(await load('missing')).toEqual({
+    content: {},
+    filePath: null,
+    dependencies: [configPath],
+  });
+});
+
+test('ignores ordinary metadata-like fields and disabled exports', async () => {
+  expect(await load('ordinary')).toEqual({
+    content: { content: 'ordinary', filePath: 'ordinary', dependencies: [] },
+    filePath: configPath,
+    dependencies: [],
+  });
+  expect(await load(false)).toEqual({
+    content: {},
+    filePath: configPath,
+    dependencies: [],
+  });
+});
+
+test('merges collected dependencies across fresh helper instances', async () => {
+  const result = await loadConfig({ path: configPath, fresh: true });
+
+  expect(result).toEqual({
+    content: { name: 'shared' },
+    filePath: sourcePath,
+    dependencies: [
+      dependencyPath,
+      configPath,
+      join(import.meta.dirname, '../../src/meta.ts'),
+      sourcePath,
+    ],
+  });
+});
diff --git a/tests/config-meta/shared.mjs b/tests/config-meta/shared.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..13760c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/config-meta/shared.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export const name = 'shared';