diff --git a/lua/null-ls/builtins/code_actions/cspell.lua b/lua/null-ls/builtins/code_actions/cspell.lua
index 3d320928a..9aa791919 100644
--- a/lua/null-ls/builtins/code_actions/cspell.lua
+++ b/lua/null-ls/builtins/code_actions/cspell.lua
@@ -13,27 +13,6 @@ local cspell_diagnostics = function(bufnr, lnum, cursor_col)
     return diagnostics
 end
 
-local CSPELL_CONFIG_FILES = {
-    "cspell.json",
-    ".cspell.json",
-    "cSpell.json",
-    ".Sspell.json",
-    ".cspell.config.json",
-}
-
--- find the first cspell.json file in the directory tree
-local find_cspell_config = function(cwd)
-    local cspell_json_file = nil
-    for _, file in ipairs(CSPELL_CONFIG_FILES) do
-        local path = vim.fn.findfile(file, (cwd or vim.loop.cwd()) .. ";")
-        if path ~= "" then
-            cspell_json_file = path
-            break
-        end
-    end
-    return cspell_json_file
-end
-
 -- create a bare minimum cspell.json file
 local create_cspell_json = function(cwd, file_name)
     local cspell_json = {
@@ -65,13 +44,13 @@ return h.make_builtin({
         fn = function(params)
             local actions = {}
             local config = params:get_config()
-            local find_json = config.find_json or find_cspell_config
+            local find_json = config.find_json or h.cspell.find_cspell_config
 
             -- create_config_file if nil defaults to true
             local create_config_file = config.create_config_file ~= false
 
             local create_config_file_name = config.create_config_file_name or "cspell.json"
-            if not vim.tbl_contains(CSPELL_CONFIG_FILES, create_config_file_name) then
+            if not vim.tbl_contains(h.cspell.CSPELL_CONFIG_FILES, create_config_file_name) then
                 vim.notify(
                     "Invalid default file name for cspell json file: "
                         .. create_config_file_name
diff --git a/lua/null-ls/builtins/diagnostics/cspell.lua b/lua/null-ls/builtins/diagnostics/cspell.lua
index 44c79d86a..dc5e008ee 100644
--- a/lua/null-ls/builtins/diagnostics/cspell.lua
+++ b/lua/null-ls/builtins/diagnostics/cspell.lua
@@ -32,8 +32,18 @@ return h.make_builtin({
     generator_opts = {
         command = "cspell",
         args = function(params)
+            local config = params:get_config()
+            local find_json = config.find_json or h.cspell.find_cspell_config
+            local cspell_json_file = find_json(params.cwd)
+
+            if cspell_json_file == nil or cspell_json_file == "" then
+                cspell_json_file = "cspell.json" -- default for the -c option
+            end
+
             local cspell_args = {
                 "lint",
+                "-c",
+                cspell_json_file,
                 "--language-id",
                 params.ft,
                 "stdin",
diff --git a/lua/null-ls/helpers/cspell.lua b/lua/null-ls/helpers/cspell.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..93786fc01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/null-ls/helpers/cspell.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+local CSPELL_CONFIG_FILES = {
+    "cspell.json",
+    ".cspell.json",
+    "cSpell.json",
+    ".Sspell.json",
+    ".cspell.config.json",
+}
+
+-- find the first cspell.json file in the directory tree
+local find_cspell_config = function(cwd)
+    local cspell_json_file = nil
+    for _, file in ipairs(CSPELL_CONFIG_FILES) do
+        local path = vim.fn.findfile(file, (cwd or vim.loop.cwd()) .. ";")
+        if path ~= "" then
+            cspell_json_file = path
+            break
+        end
+    end
+    return cspell_json_file
+end
+
+return {
+    CSPELL_CONFIG_FILES = CSPELL_CONFIG_FILES,
+    find_cspell_config = find_cspell_config,
+}
diff --git a/lua/null-ls/helpers/init.lua b/lua/null-ls/helpers/init.lua
index b956c8fc4..0ef140818 100644
--- a/lua/null-ls/helpers/init.lua
+++ b/lua/null-ls/helpers/init.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 return {
     cache = require("null-ls.helpers.cache"),
+    cspell = require("null-ls.helpers.cspell"),
     diagnostics = require("null-ls.helpers.diagnostics"),
     formatter_factory = require("null-ls.helpers.formatter_factory"),
     generator_factory = require("null-ls.helpers.generator_factory"),