diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/build/buf/gradle/LintTask.kt b/src/main/kotlin/build/buf/gradle/LintTask.kt
index b44422ff..3c7261d2 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/build/buf/gradle/LintTask.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/build/buf/gradle/LintTask.kt
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ abstract class LintTask : AbstractBufExecTask() {
     fun bufLint() {
         execBufInSpecificDirectory(
             "lint",
-            if (v1SyntaxOnly.get() && !hasWorkspace.get()) {
+            if (noWorkspaceAndV1Syntax() || noWorkspaceAndNoProtobufGradlePlugin()) {
                 bufConfigFile.orNull?.let { listOf("--config", it.readAndStripComments()) }
             } else {
                 null
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ abstract class LintTask : AbstractBufExecTask() {
         }
     }
 
+    private fun noWorkspaceAndV1Syntax() =
+        !hasWorkspace.get() && v1SyntaxOnly.get()
+
+    private fun noWorkspaceAndNoProtobufGradlePlugin() =
+        !hasWorkspace.get() && !hasProtobufGradlePlugin.get()
+
     private fun File.readAndStripComments() =
         lines(toPath()).use { lines ->
             lines.asSequence()