diff --git a/src/cli/Makefile.am b/src/cli/Makefile.am
index ee3d799af..a35b0c0cb 100644
--- a/src/cli/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/cli/Makefile.am
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ noinst_HEADERS                      = \
     cli_coap.hpp                      \
     cli_coap_secure.hpp               \
     cli_commissioner.hpp              \
+    cli_config.h                      \
     cli_console.hpp                   \
     cli_dataset.hpp                   \
     cli_joiner.hpp                    \
diff --git a/src/cli/cli.hpp b/src/cli/cli.hpp
index 818ebfea3..ae8eb0452 100644
--- a/src/cli/cli.hpp
+++ b/src/cli/cli.hpp
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 
 #include "openthread-core-config.h"
 
+#include "cli_config.h"
+
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
 #include <openthread/cli.h>
diff --git a/src/cli/cli_config.h b/src/cli/cli_config.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2bb911134
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cli/cli_config.h
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+/*
+ *  Copyright (c) 2019, The OpenThread Authors.
+ *  All rights reserved.
+ *
+ *  Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ *  modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+ *  1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *     notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *  2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *     notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+ *     documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+ *  3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the
+ *     names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
+ *     derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ *  THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS"
+ *  AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+ *  IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+ *  ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE
+ *  LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR
+ *  CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF
+ *  SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
+ *  INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+ *  CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
+ *  ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+ *  POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ *   This file includes compile-time configurations for the CLI service.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef CONFIG_CLI_H_
+#define CONFIG_CLI_H_
+
+/**
+ * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_MAX_LINE_LENGTH
+ *
+ * The maximum size of the CLI line in bytes.
+ *
+ */
+#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_MAX_LINE_LENGTH
+#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_MAX_LINE_LENGTH 128
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_UART_RX_BUFFER_SIZE
+ *
+ * The size of CLI UART RX buffer in bytes.
+ *
+ */
+#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_UART_RX_BUFFER_SIZE
+#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_UART_RX_BUFFER_SIZE 512
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_TX_BUFFER_SIZE
+ *
+ * The size of CLI message buffer in bytes.
+ *
+ */
+#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_UART_TX_BUFFER_SIZE
+#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_UART_TX_BUFFER_SIZE 1024
+#endif
+
+#endif // CONFIG_CLI_H_
diff --git a/src/core/config/openthread-core-default-config.h b/src/core/config/openthread-core-default-config.h
index c979078cc..eebb507a5 100644
--- a/src/core/config/openthread-core-default-config.h
+++ b/src/core/config/openthread-core-default-config.h
@@ -266,36 +266,6 @@
 #define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_ADDRESS_QUERY_MAX_RETRY_DELAY 28800
 #endif
 
-/**
- * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_MAX_LINE_LENGTH
- *
- * The maximum size of the CLI line in bytes.
- *
- */
-#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_MAX_LINE_LENGTH
-#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_MAX_LINE_LENGTH 128
-#endif
-
-/**
- * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_UART_RX_BUFFER_SIZE
- *
- * The size of CLI UART RX buffer in bytes.
- *
- */
-#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_UART_RX_BUFFER_SIZE
-#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_UART_RX_BUFFER_SIZE 512
-#endif
-
-/**
- * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_TX_BUFFER_SIZE
- *
- * The size of CLI message buffer in bytes.
- *
- */
-#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_UART_TX_BUFFER_SIZE
-#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_CLI_UART_TX_BUFFER_SIZE 1024
-#endif
-
 /**
  * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAX_ROUTERS
  *