diff --git a/docs/guide/workspace.md b/docs/guide/workspace.md
index 579ca2c02fcc..c53e08e16ece 100644
--- a/docs/guide/workspace.md
+++ b/docs/guide/workspace.md
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export default defineConfig({
 Vitest will treat every folder in `packages` as a separate project even if it doesn't have a config file inside. If this glob pattern matches any file it will be considered a Vitest config even if it doesn't have a `vitest` in its name.
 
 ::: warning
-Vitest does not treat the root `vitest.config` file as a workspace project unless it is explicitly specified in the workspace configuration. Consequently, the root configuration will only influence global options such as `reporters` and `coverage`.
+Vitest does not treat the root `vitest.config` file as a workspace project unless it is explicitly specified in the workspace configuration. Consequently, the root configuration will only influence global options such as `reporters` and `coverage`. Note that Vitest will always run certain plugin hooks, like `apply`, `config`, `configResolved` or `configureServer`, specified in the root config file. Vitest also uses the same plugins to execute global setups, workspace files and custom coverage provider.
 :::
 
 You can also reference projects with their config files:
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ bun test --project e2e --project unit
 
 ## Configuration
 
-None of the configuration options are inherited from the root-level config file. You can create a shared config file and merge it with the project config yourself:
+None of the configuration options are inherited from the root-level config file, even if the workspace is defined inside that config and not in a separate `vitest.workspace` file. You can create a shared config file and merge it with the project config yourself:
 
 ```ts [packages/a/vitest.config.ts]
 import { defineProject, mergeConfig } from 'vitest/config'
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/project.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/project.ts
index 213d23f43222..081404e40cdb 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/project.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/project.ts
@@ -717,7 +717,6 @@ export interface SerializedTestProject {
 
 interface InitializeProjectOptions extends UserWorkspaceConfig {
   configFile: string | false
-  extends?: string
 }
 
 export async function initializeProject(
@@ -727,7 +726,7 @@ export async function initializeProject(
 ) {
   const project = new TestProject(workspacePath, ctx, options)
 
-  const { extends: extendsConfig, configFile, ...restOptions } = options
+  const { configFile, ...restOptions } = options
 
   const config: ViteInlineConfig = {
     ...restOptions,
diff --git a/packages/vitest/src/node/workspace/resolveWorkspace.ts b/packages/vitest/src/node/workspace/resolveWorkspace.ts
index aa5a8d4bfb8d..f6a31b3cd716 100644
--- a/packages/vitest/src/node/workspace/resolveWorkspace.ts
+++ b/packages/vitest/src/node/workspace/resolveWorkspace.ts
@@ -62,11 +62,9 @@ export async function resolveWorkspace(
     // if extends a config file, resolve the file path
     const configFile = typeof options.extends === 'string'
       ? resolve(configRoot, options.extends)
-      : false
-    // if extends a root config, use the users root options
-    const rootOptions = options.extends === true
-      ? vitest._options
-      : {}
+      : options.extends === true
+        ? (vitest.vite.config.configFile || false)
+        : false
     // if `root` is configured, resolve it relative to the workspace file or vite root (like other options)
     // if `root` is not specified, inline configs use the same root as the root project
     const root = options.root
@@ -75,7 +73,7 @@ export async function resolveWorkspace(
     projectPromises.push(concurrent(() => initializeProject(
       index,
       vitest,
-      mergeConfig(rootOptions, { ...options, root, configFile }) as any,
+      { ...options, root, configFile },
     )))
   })
 
diff --git a/test/config/fixtures/workspace/browser/workspace-with-browser.ts b/test/config/fixtures/workspace/browser/workspace-with-browser.ts
index 96764a79256c..948776d8ea34 100644
--- a/test/config/fixtures/workspace/browser/workspace-with-browser.ts
+++ b/test/config/fixtures/workspace/browser/workspace-with-browser.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export default defineWorkspace([
       browser: {
          enabled: true,
          provider: 'webdriverio',
-         name: 'chrome'
+         name: 'chrome',
       },
     }
   }
diff --git a/test/config/fixtures/workspace/config-extends/repro.test.js b/test/config/fixtures/workspace/config-extends/repro.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..955b1d336ed6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/config/fixtures/workspace/config-extends/repro.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import { test, expect } from 'vitest';
+import repro from 'virtual:repro';
+
+test('importing a virtual module', () => {
+  expect(repro).toBe('Hello, world!');
+});
diff --git a/test/config/fixtures/workspace/config-extends/vitest.config.ts b/test/config/fixtures/workspace/config-extends/vitest.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8f3374e7c148
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/config/fixtures/workspace/config-extends/vitest.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config';
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  plugins: [
+    {
+      name: 'virtual',
+      resolveId(source) {
+        if (source === 'virtual:repro') {
+          return '\0virtual:repro';
+        }
+      },
+      load(id) {
+        if (id === '\0virtual:repro') {
+          return `export default "Hello, world!"`;
+        }
+      },
+    },
+  ],
+  test: {
+    workspace: [
+      {
+        extends: true,
+        test: {
+          name: 'node',
+          environment: 'node',
+        },
+      },
+    ],
+  },
+});
diff --git a/test/config/test/workspace.test.ts b/test/config/test/workspace.test.ts
index 7979d6fb6390..15ec6ac35faf 100644
--- a/test/config/test/workspace.test.ts
+++ b/test/config/test/workspace.test.ts
@@ -126,3 +126,11 @@ it('can define inline workspace config programmatically', async () => {
   expect(stdout).toContain('project-3')
   expect(stdout).toContain('3 passed')
 })
+
+it('correctly inherits the root config', async () => {
+  const { stderr, stdout } = await runVitest({
+    root: 'fixtures/workspace/config-extends',
+  })
+  expect(stderr).toBe('')
+  expect(stdout).toContain('repro.test.js > importing a virtual module')
+})