diff --git a/src/lint/engine/ArcanistConfigurationDrivenLintEngine.php b/src/lint/engine/ArcanistConfigurationDrivenLintEngine.php
--- a/src/lint/engine/ArcanistConfigurationDrivenLintEngine.php
+++ b/src/lint/engine/ArcanistConfigurationDrivenLintEngine.php
@@ -5,37 +5,14 @@
   private $debugMode;
 
   public function buildLinters() {
-    $working_copy = $this->getWorkingCopy();
-    $config_path = $working_copy->getProjectPath('.arclint');
-
-    if (!Filesystem::pathExists($config_path)) {
-      throw new Exception(
-        "Unable to find '.arclint' file to configure linters. Create a ".
-        "'.arclint' file in the root directory of the working copy.");
-    }
-
-    $data = Filesystem::readFile($config_path);
-    $config = json_decode($data, true);
-    if (!is_array($config)) {
-      throw new Exception(
-        "Expected '.arclint' file to be a valid JSON file, but failed to ".
-        "decode it: {$config_path}");
-    }
-
+    $config = $this->parseConfiguration();
     $linters = $this->loadAvailableLinters();
-
-    PhutilTypeSpec::checkMap(
-      $config,
-      array(
-        'linters' => 'map<string, map<string, wild>>',
-        'debug'   => 'optional bool',
-      ));
-
-    $this->debugMode = idx($config, 'debug', false);
+    $this->debugMode = true;
 
     $built_linters = array();
     $all_paths = $this->getPaths();
-    foreach ($config['linters'] as $name => $spec) {
+
+    foreach ($config as $name => $spec) {
       $type = idx($spec, 'type');
       if ($type !== null) {
         if (empty($linters[$type])) {
@@ -81,9 +58,6 @@
       $include = (array)idx($spec, 'include', array());
       $exclude = (array)idx($spec, 'exclude', array());
 
-      $this->validateRegexps($include, $name, 'include');
-      $this->validateRegexps($exclude, $name, 'exclude');
-
       $this->debugLog('Examining paths for linter "%s".', $name);
       $paths = $this->matchPaths($all_paths, $include, $exclude);
       $this->debugLog(
@@ -93,13 +67,36 @@
 
       $linter->setPaths($paths);
 
-
       $built_linters[] = $linter;
     }
 
     return $built_linters;
   }
 
+  private function parseConfiguration() {
+    $working_copy = $this->getWorkingCopy();
+    $config_path = $working_copy->getProjectPath('.arclint');
+
+    // Parse the `.arclint` file, throwing an exception if the file
+    // doesn't exist.
+    Filesystem::assertExists($config_path);
+    Filesystem::assertIsFile($config_path);
+    Filesystem::assertReadable($config_path);
+    $config = parse_ini_file($config_path, true);
+
+    // Check that the `.arclint` file was valid.
+    if ($config === false) {
+      throw new Exception(
+        "Expected '.arclint' file to be a valid INI file, but failed to ".
+        "decode it: {$config_path}");
+    }
+
+    $spec = PhutilTypeSpec::newFromString('map<string, map<string, wild>>');
+    $spec->check($config);
+
+    return $config;
+  }
+
   private function loadAvailableLinters() {
     $linters = id(new PhutilSymbolLoader())
       ->setAncestorClass('ArcanistLinter')
@@ -131,8 +128,6 @@
   }
 
   private function matchPaths(array $paths, array $include, array $exclude) {
-    $debug = $this->debugMode;
-
     $match = array();
     foreach ($paths as $path) {
       $this->debugLog("Examining path '%s'...", $path);
@@ -145,7 +140,7 @@
       } else {
         $this->debugLog('  Testing "include" rules.');
         foreach ($include as $rule) {
-          if (preg_match($rule, $path)) {
+          if (fnmatch($rule, $path)) {
             $keep = true;
             $this->debugLog('  Path matches include rule: %s', $rule);
             break;
@@ -163,7 +158,7 @@
       if ($exclude) {
         $this->debugLog('  Testing "exclude" rules.');
         foreach ($exclude as $rule) {
-          if (preg_match($rule, $path)) {
+          if (fnmatch($rule, $path)) {
             $this->debugLog('  Path matches "exclude" rule: %s', $rule);
             continue 2;
           } else {
@@ -179,21 +174,6 @@
     return $match;
   }
 
-  private function validateRegexps(array $regexps, $linter, $config) {
-    foreach ($regexps as $regexp) {
-      $ok = @preg_match($regexp, '');
-      if ($ok === false) {
-        throw new Exception(
-          pht(
-            'Regular expression "%s" (in "%s" configuration for linter "%s") '.
-            'is not a valid regular expression.',
-            $regexp,
-            $config,
-            $linter));
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   private function debugLog($pattern /* , $arg, ... */) {
     if (!$this->debugMode) {
       return;
@@ -205,5 +185,4 @@
     call_user_func_array(array($console, 'writeErr'), $argv);
   }
 
-
 }