diff --git a/ale_linters/java/checkstyle.vim b/ale_linters/java/checkstyle.vim
index ee3ca7a3..7901ff7e 100644
--- a/ale_linters/java/checkstyle.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/java/checkstyle.vim
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 " Description: checkstyle for Java files
 
 call ale#Set('java_checkstyle_executable', 'checkstyle')
-call ale#Set('java_checkstyle_config', 'google_checks.xml')
+call ale#Set('java_checkstyle_config', '/google_checks.xml')
 call ale#Set('java_checkstyle_options', '')
 
 function! ale_linters#java#checkstyle#Handle(buffer, lines) abort
@@ -39,11 +39,21 @@ function! ale_linters#java#checkstyle#Handle(buffer, lines) abort
     return l:output
 endfunction
 
+function! s:GetConfig(buffer, config) abort
+    if ale#path#IsAbsolute(a:config)
+        return a:config
+    endif
+
+    let s:file = ale#path#FindNearestFile(a:buffer, a:config)
+
+    return !empty(s:file) ? s:file : a:config
+endfunction
+
 function! ale_linters#java#checkstyle#GetCommand(buffer) abort
     let l:options = ale#Var(a:buffer, 'java_checkstyle_options')
     let l:config_option = ale#Var(a:buffer, 'java_checkstyle_config')
     let l:config = l:options !~# '\v(^| )-c' && !empty(l:config_option)
-    \   ? ale#path#FindNearestFile(a:buffer, l:config_option)
+    \   ? s:GetConfig(a:buffer, l:config_option)
     \   : ''
 
     return '%e'
diff --git a/doc/ale-java.txt b/doc/ale-java.txt
index a563f1fb..58acc272 100644
--- a/doc/ale-java.txt
+++ b/doc/ale-java.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ g:ale_java_checkstyle_config                     *g:ale_java_checkstyle_config*
                                                  *b:ale_java_checkstyle_config*
 
   Type: |String|
-  Default: `'google_checks.xml'`
+  Default: `'/google_checks.xml'`
 
   A path to a checkstyle configuration file.
 
diff --git a/test/command_callback/checkstyle_paths/google_checks.xml b/test/command_callback/checkstyle_paths/google_checks.xml
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29b..00000000
diff --git a/test/command_callback/test_checkstyle_command_callback.vader b/test/command_callback/test_checkstyle_command_callback.vader
index d775f9f2..7a9f26b3 100644
--- a/test/command_callback/test_checkstyle_command_callback.vader
+++ b/test/command_callback/test_checkstyle_command_callback.vader
@@ -6,17 +6,27 @@ After:
   call ale#assert#TearDownLinterTest()
 
 Execute(The checkstyle callback should return the correct default value):
-  AssertLinter 'checkstyle', ale#Escape('checkstyle') . ' %s'
+  AssertLinter 'checkstyle',
+  \ ale#Escape('checkstyle')
+  \ . ' -c ' . ale#Escape('/google_checks.xml')
+  \ . ' %s'
 
 Execute(The checkstyle executable should be configurable):
   let b:ale_java_checkstyle_executable = 'foobar'
 
-  AssertLinter 'foobar', ale#Escape('foobar') . ' %s'
+  AssertLinter 'foobar',
+  \ ale#Escape('foobar')
+  \ . ' -c ' . ale#Escape('/google_checks.xml')
+  \ . ' %s'
 
 Execute(Custom options should be supported):
   let b:ale_java_checkstyle_options = '--foobar'
 
-  AssertLinter 'checkstyle', ale#Escape('checkstyle') . ' --foobar %s'
+  AssertLinter 'checkstyle',
+  \ ale#Escape('checkstyle')
+  \ . ' --foobar'
+  \ . ' -c ' . ale#Escape('/google_checks.xml')
+  \ . ' %s'
 
 Execute(configuration files set in _config should be supported):
   let b:ale_java_checkstyle_config = ale#path#Simplify(g:dir . '/checkstyle_paths/other_config.xml')
@@ -36,12 +46,12 @@ Execute(configuration files set in _options should be preferred over _config):
 
   AssertLinter 'checkstyle', ale#Escape('checkstyle') . ' -x -c /bar.xml %s'
 
-Execute(google_checks.xml should be detected automatically):
+Execute(google_checks.xml should be used by default):
   call ale#test#SetFilename('checkstyle_paths/test.java')
 
   AssertLinter 'checkstyle',
   \ ale#Escape('checkstyle')
-  \ . ' -c ' . ale#Escape(ale#path#Simplify(g:dir . '/checkstyle_paths/google_checks.xml'))
+  \ . ' -c ' . ale#Escape('/google_checks.xml')
   \ . ' %s'
 
 Execute(Other relative paths should be supported):