diff --git a/markdownlint.js b/markdownlint.js
index 15864cc73..21907011b 100755
--- a/markdownlint.js
+++ b/markdownlint.js
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ const configFileParsers = [jsoncParse, jsYamlSafeLoad];
 const fsOptions = {encoding: 'utf8'};
 const processCwd = process.cwd();
 
-function readConfiguration(args) {
-  const userConfigFile = args.config;
+function readConfiguration(userConfigFile) {
   const jsConfigFile = /\.js$/i.test(userConfigFile);
   const rcArgv = minimist(process.argv.slice(2));
   if (jsConfigFile) {
@@ -268,7 +267,7 @@ const diff = differenceWith(files, ignores, function (a, b) {
 
 function lintAndPrint(stdin, files) {
   files = files || [];
-  const config = readConfiguration(program);
+  const config = readConfiguration(options.config);
   const lintOptions = {
     config,
     customRules,
diff --git a/test/md043-config.js b/test/md043-config.js
index ec5e44c9c..3bff5f074 100644
--- a/test/md043-config.js
+++ b/test/md043-config.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 // -OR-
 // via require('some-npm-module-that-exports-config')
 module.exports = {
+  MD012: false,
   MD043: {
     headers: [
       '# First',
diff --git a/test/md043-config.json b/test/md043-config.json
index 46bb7bca3..d9844a936 100644
--- a/test/md043-config.json
+++ b/test/md043-config.json
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {
+  "MD012": false,
   "MD043": {
     "headers": [
       "# First",
diff --git a/test/md043-config.md b/test/md043-config.md
index 554aa171b..b7f5729f4 100644
--- a/test/md043-config.md
+++ b/test/md043-config.md
@@ -7,3 +7,6 @@ Text
 Text
 
 ### Third
+
+Extra newline at end of file is sentinel to ensure config file is used
+
diff --git a/test/md043-config.yaml b/test/md043-config.yaml
index f55a5c029..6dbf90fd9 100644
--- a/test/md043-config.yaml
+++ b/test/md043-config.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+MD012: false
 MD043:
   headers:
     - "# First"