diff --git a/autoload/ale/engine.vim b/autoload/ale/engine.vim
index eb7780f..efd5dac 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/engine.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/engine.vim
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ function! ale#engine#InitBufferInfo(buffer) abort
     if !has_key(g:ale_buffer_info, a:buffer)
         " job_list will hold the list of jobs
         " loclist holds the loclist items after all jobs have completed.
+        " lint_file_loclist holds items from the last run including linters
+        "   which use the lint_file option.
         " new_loclist holds loclist items while jobs are being run.
         " temporary_file_list holds temporary files to be cleaned up
         " temporary_directory_list holds temporary directories to be cleaned up
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ function! ale#engine#InitBufferInfo(buffer) abort
         let g:ale_buffer_info[a:buffer] = {
         \   'job_list': [],
         \   'loclist': [],
+        \   'lint_file_loclist': [],
         \   'new_loclist': [],
         \   'temporary_file_list': [],
         \   'temporary_directory_list': [],
diff --git a/autoload/ale/linter.vim b/autoload/ale/linter.vim
index cafba2a..9a838ff 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/linter.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/linter.vim
@@ -142,13 +142,25 @@ function! ale#linter#PreProcess(linter) abort
         throw "`output_stream` must be 'stdout', 'stderr', or 'both'"
     endif
 
+    " An option indicating that this linter should only be run against the
+    " file on disk.
+    let l:obj.lint_file = get(a:linter, 'lint_file', 0)
+
+    if !s:IsBoolean(l:obj.lint_file)
+        throw '`lint_file` must be `0` or `1`'
+    endif
+
     " An option indicating that the buffer should be read.
-    let l:obj.read_buffer = get(a:linter, 'read_buffer', 1)
+    let l:obj.read_buffer = get(a:linter, 'read_buffer', !l:obj.lint_file)
 
     if !s:IsBoolean(l:obj.read_buffer)
         throw '`read_buffer` must be `0` or `1`'
     endif
 
+    if l:obj.lint_file && l:obj.read_buffer
+        throw 'Only one of `lint_file` or `read_buffer` can be `1`'
+    endif
+
     return l:obj
 endfunction
 
diff --git a/test/test_linter_defintion_processing.vader b/test/test_linter_defintion_processing.vader
index 3acc194..91667e0 100644
--- a/test/test_linter_defintion_processing.vader
+++ b/test/test_linter_defintion_processing.vader
@@ -282,4 +282,44 @@ Execute(PreProcess should set a default value for read_buffer):
   \ 'command': 'x',
   \}
 
-  AssertEqual ale#linter#PreProcess(g:linter).read_buffer, 1
+  AssertEqual 1, ale#linter#PreProcess(g:linter).read_buffer
+
+Execute(PreProcess should process the lint_file option correctly):
+  let g:linter = {
+  \ 'name': 'x',
+  \ 'callback': 'x',
+  \ 'executable': 'x',
+  \ 'command': 'x',
+  \ 'lint_file': 'x',
+  \}
+
+  AssertThrows call ale#linter#PreProcess(g:linter)
+  AssertEqual '`lint_file` must be `0` or `1`', g:vader_exception
+
+  let g:linter.lint_file = 0
+
+  AssertEqual 0, ale#linter#PreProcess(g:linter).lint_file
+  " The default for read_buffer should be 1 when lint_file is 0
+  AssertEqual 1, ale#linter#PreProcess(g:linter).read_buffer
+
+  let g:linter.lint_file = 1
+
+  AssertEqual 1, ale#linter#PreProcess(g:linter).lint_file
+  " The default for read_buffer should change to 0 when lint_file is 1.
+  AssertEqual 0, ale#linter#PreProcess(g:linter).read_buffer
+
+  let g:linter.read_buffer = 1
+
+  " We shouldn't be able to set both options to 1 at the same time.
+  AssertThrows call ale#linter#PreProcess(g:linter)
+  AssertEqual 'Only one of `lint_file` or `read_buffer` can be `1`', g:vader_exception
+
+Execute(PreProcess should set a default value for lint_file):
+  let g:linter = {
+  \ 'name': 'x',
+  \ 'callback': 'x',
+  \ 'executable': 'x',
+  \ 'command': 'x',
+  \}
+
+  AssertEqual 0, ale#linter#PreProcess(g:linter).lint_file
diff --git a/test/test_linter_retrieval.vader b/test/test_linter_retrieval.vader
index bc5b62e..e0d6c28 100644
--- a/test/test_linter_retrieval.vader
+++ b/test/test_linter_retrieval.vader
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Before:
-  let g:testlinter1 = {'name': 'testlinter1', 'executable': 'testlinter1', 'command': 'testlinter1', 'callback': 'testCB1', 'output_stream': 'stdout', 'read_buffer': 1}
-  let g:testlinter2 = {'name': 'testlinter2', 'executable': 'testlinter2', 'command': 'testlinter2', 'callback': 'testCB2', 'output_stream': 'stdout', 'read_buffer': 0}
+  let g:testlinter1 = {'name': 'testlinter1', 'executable': 'testlinter1', 'command': 'testlinter1', 'callback': 'testCB1', 'output_stream': 'stdout', 'read_buffer': 1, 'lint_file': 0}
+  let g:testlinter2 = {'name': 'testlinter2', 'executable': 'testlinter2', 'command': 'testlinter2', 'callback': 'testCB2', 'output_stream': 'stdout', 'read_buffer': 0, 'lint_file': 1}
 
   call ale#linter#Reset()
   let g:ale_linters = {}
@@ -40,4 +40,4 @@ Then (Linters for dot-seperated filetypes should be properly handled):
   AssertEqual [g:testlinter1, g:testlinter2], ale#linter#Get('testft1.testft2')
 
 Execute (Try to load a linter from disk):
-  AssertEqual [{'name': 'testlinter', 'output_stream': 'stdout', 'executable': 'testlinter', 'command': 'testlinter', 'callback': 'testCB', 'read_buffer': 1}], ale#linter#Get('testft')
+  AssertEqual [{'name': 'testlinter', 'output_stream': 'stdout', 'executable': 'testlinter', 'command': 'testlinter', 'callback': 'testCB', 'read_buffer': 1, 'lint_file': 0}], ale#linter#Get('testft')