diff --git a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/BaseErrorProneJavaCompiler.java b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/BaseErrorProneJavaCompiler.java
index 51cf7c94f95..1747559e0b0 100644
--- a/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/BaseErrorProneJavaCompiler.java
+++ b/check_api/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/BaseErrorProneJavaCompiler.java
@@ -228,8 +228,10 @@ static ErrorProneAnalyzer createAnalyzer(
                   ImmutableSet<String> namedCheckers = epOptions.patchingOptions().namedCheckers();
                   if (!namedCheckers.isEmpty()) {
                     toUse = toUse.filter(bci -> namedCheckers.contains(bci.canonicalName()));
+                  } else {
+                    toUse = toUse.applyOverrides(epOptions);
                   }
-                  return ErrorProneScannerTransformer.create(toUse.applyOverrides(epOptions).get());
+                  return ErrorProneScannerTransformer.create(toUse.get());
                 })
             .get();
 
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/scanner/ScannerTest.java b/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/scanner/ScannerTest.java
index 0a1a1899c8f..09fce873315 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/scanner/ScannerTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/scanner/ScannerTest.java
@@ -106,11 +106,26 @@ public void dontRunPatchForDisabledChecks() {
             "}")
         .setArgs(
             "-XepPatchLocation:IN_PLACE",
-            "-XepPatchChecks:ShouldNotUseFoo",
+            "-XepPatchChecks:",
             "-Xep:ShouldNotUseFoo:OFF")
         .doTest();
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void dontRunPatchUnlessRequested() {
+    compilationHelper.addSourceLines(
+            "Test.java",
+            "import com.google.errorprone.scanner.ScannerTest.Foo;",
+            "class Test {",
+            "  Foo foo;",
+            "}")
+            .setArgs(
+                    "-XepPatchLocation:IN_PLACE",
+                    "-Xep:ShouldNotUseFoo:WARN",
+                    "-XepPatchChecks:DeadException"
+            ).doTest();
+  }
+
   @OkToUseFoo // Foo can use itself. But this shouldn't suppress errors on *usages* of Foo.
   public static final class Foo<T> {}