diff --git a/app/Support/PhpCodeSniffer.php b/app/Support/PhpCodeSniffer.php
index 3f901d7..60f6e7f 100644
--- a/app/Support/PhpCodeSniffer.php
+++ b/app/Support/PhpCodeSniffer.php
@@ -14,25 +14,23 @@ public function lint(): int
     {
         $this->heading('Linting using PHP_CodeSniffer');
 
-        if (! $this->hasCustomConfig()) {
-            if (empty($paths = $this->getPaths())) {
-                return 0;
-            }
+        $paths = $this->resolvePaths();
+
+        if ($paths === null) {
+            return 0;
         }
 
-        return $this->process('runPHPCS', $paths ?? []);
+        return $this->process('runPHPCS', $paths);
     }
 
     public function fix(): int
     {
         $this->heading('Fixing using PHP_CodeSniffer');
 
-        if ($this->hasCustomConfig()) {
-            $paths = [];
-        } else {
-            if (empty($paths = $this->getPaths())) {
-                return 0;
-            }
+        $paths = $this->resolvePaths();
+
+        if ($paths === null) {
+            return 0;
         }
 
         $fix = $this->process('runPHPCBF', $paths);
@@ -88,13 +86,45 @@ private function process(string $tool, array $params = []): int
     }
 
     /**
-     * @return array<int, string>
+     * Resolve the paths to hand to PHP_CodeSniffer.
+     *
+     * Returns:
+     *   - `null`           when PHPCS should be skipped entirely (e.g. only Blade
+     *                      files were passed explicitly, or there is nothing to lint).
+     *   - An empty array   when PHPCS should fall back to the project's custom
+     *                      ruleset (custom config present and no explicit paths).
+     *   - A list of paths  otherwise.
+     *
+     * @return array<int, string>|null
      */
-    private function getPaths(): array
+    private function resolvePaths(): ?array
     {
-        $paths = $this->dusterConfig->get('paths') === [Project::path()]
-            ? $this->getDefaultDirectories() : $this->dusterConfig->get('paths');
+        if ($this->hasExplicitPaths()) {
+            $paths = $this->filterBladeFiles($this->dusterConfig->get('paths'));
+
+            return empty($paths) ? null : $paths;
+        }
+
+        if ($this->hasCustomConfig()) {
+            return [];
+        }
 
+        $paths = $this->filterBladeFiles($this->getDefaultDirectories());
+
+        return empty($paths) ? null : $paths;
+    }
+
+    private function hasExplicitPaths(): bool
+    {
+        return $this->dusterConfig->get('paths') !== [Project::path()];
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param  array<int, string>  $paths
+     * @return array<int, string>
+     */
+    private function filterBladeFiles(array $paths): array
+    {
         return array_values(array_filter($paths, function ($path) {
             if (is_dir($path)) {
                 return true;
diff --git a/tests/Feature/PhpCodeSnifferConfigOverrideTest.php b/tests/Feature/PhpCodeSnifferConfigOverrideTest.php
index fe6d4d4..cc80eae 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/PhpCodeSnifferConfigOverrideTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/PhpCodeSnifferConfigOverrideTest.php
@@ -12,3 +12,31 @@
         ->toContain('Linting using PHP_CodeSniffer')
         ->toContain('Comment refers to a TODO task');
 });
+
+it('lints only the explicit paths when project has a custom phpcs config', function () {
+    chdir(__DIR__ . '/../Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile');
+
+    [$statusCode, $output] = run('lint', [
+        'path' => base_path('tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile/CleanClass.php'),
+        '--using' => 'phpcs',
+    ]);
+
+    expect($statusCode)->toBe(0)
+        ->and($output)
+        ->toContain('Linting using PHP_CodeSniffer')
+        ->not->toContain('Comment refers to a TODO task');
+});
+
+it('falls back to ruleset file directives when no explicit paths are provided', function () {
+    chdir(__DIR__ . '/../Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile');
+
+    [$statusCode, $output] = run('lint', [
+        'path' => base_path('tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile'),
+        '--using' => 'phpcs',
+    ]);
+
+    expect($statusCode)->toBe(1)
+        ->and($output)
+        ->toContain('Linting using PHP_CodeSniffer')
+        ->toContain('Comment refers to a TODO task');
+});
diff --git a/tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile/.phpcs.xml.dist b/tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile/.phpcs.xml.dist
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ff1b140
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile/.phpcs.xml.dist
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<ruleset>
+    <file>BadClass.php</file>
+
+    <rule ref="Tighten"/>
+
+    <rule ref="Generic.Commenting.Todo"/>
+</ruleset>
diff --git a/tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile/BadClass.php b/tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile/BadClass.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4993ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile/BadClass.php
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+<?php
+
+class BadClass
+{
+    public function __construct()
+    {
+        // Fix this sniffer Generic.Commenting.Todo
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile/CleanClass.php b/tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile/CleanClass.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e284743
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Fixtures/PhpCodeSnifferProjectConfigWithExplicitFile/CleanClass.php
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<?php
+
+class CleanClass
+{
+    public function __construct()
+    {
+    }
+}