diff --git a/__tests__/bin.js b/__tests__/bin.js
index fca6d019e..7ced5698c 100644
--- a/__tests__/bin.js
+++ b/__tests__/bin.js
@@ -228,6 +228,15 @@ describe('lint command', function() {
       expect(err.code > 0).toBeTruthy();
     }
   });
+
+  test('generates lint output with shallow', async function() {
+    const data = await documentation(
+      ['lint fixture/lint/lint.input.shallow.js --shallow'],
+      {},
+      false
+    );
+    expect(data).toBe('');
+  });
 });
 
 test('given no files', async function() {
diff --git a/__tests__/fixture/lint/lint.input.dependency.js b/__tests__/fixture/lint/lint.input.dependency.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b4ff5d4d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/fixture/lint/lint.input.dependency.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+/**
+ * @param {String} foo bar
+ * @returns {object} bad object return type
+ * @type {Array<object>} bad object type
+ * @memberof notfound
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @param {String} baz bar
+ * @property {String} bad property
+ * @private
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @param {number} c explicit but not found
+ */
+function add(a, b) {}
+
+module.exports.add = add;
diff --git a/__tests__/fixture/lint/lint.input.shallow.js b/__tests__/fixture/lint/lint.input.shallow.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aa404f37e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/fixture/lint/lint.input.shallow.js
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+var dep = require('./lint.input.dependency');
+
+/**
+ * @param {string} a
+ * @param {boolean} b
+ */
+function add(a, b) {}
diff --git a/src/commands/lint.js b/src/commands/lint.js
index d6ef90cff..a2cfbd49a 100644
--- a/src/commands/lint.js
+++ b/src/commands/lint.js
@@ -3,12 +3,15 @@
 const documentation = require('../');
 const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
+const sharedOptions = require('./shared_options');
 
 /* eslint no-console: 0 */
 
 module.exports.command = 'lint [input..]';
 module.exports.description = 'check for common style and uniformity mistakes';
-module.exports.builder = {};
+module.exports.builder = {
+  shallow: sharedOptions.sharedInputOptions.shallow
+};
 
 /**
  * Wrap around the documentation.lint method and add the additional