diff --git a/src/lint/linter/ArcanistConduitLinter.php b/src/lint/linter/ArcanistConduitLinter.php
--- a/src/lint/linter/ArcanistConduitLinter.php
+++ b/src/lint/linter/ArcanistConduitLinter.php
@@ -95,4 +95,8 @@
       'ArcanistConduitLinter does not support a name map.'
     );
   }
+
+  protected function canCustomizeLintSeverities() {
+    return false;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/lint/linter/ArcanistGeneratedLinter.php b/src/lint/linter/ArcanistGeneratedLinter.php
--- a/src/lint/linter/ArcanistGeneratedLinter.php
+++ b/src/lint/linter/ArcanistGeneratedLinter.php
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@
     return 'generated';
   }
 
+  protected function canCustomizeLintSeverities() {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   public function lintPath($path) {
     $data = $this->getData($path);
     if (preg_match('/@'.'generated/', $data)) {
diff --git a/src/lint/linter/ArcanistLinter.php b/src/lint/linter/ArcanistLinter.php
--- a/src/lint/linter/ArcanistLinter.php
+++ b/src/lint/linter/ArcanistLinter.php
@@ -355,6 +355,10 @@
   }
 
   public function getLinterConfigurationOptions() {
+    if (!$this->canCustomizeLintSeverities()) {
+      return array();
+    }
+
     return array(
       'severity' => 'optional map<string|int, string>',
       'severity.rules' => 'optional map<string, string>',
@@ -372,6 +376,10 @@
 
     switch ($key) {
       case 'severity':
+        if (!$this->canCustomizeLintSeverities()) {
+          break;
+        }
+
         $custom = array();
         foreach ($value as $code => $severity) {
           if (empty($sev_map[$severity])) {
@@ -388,7 +396,12 @@
 
         $this->setCustomSeverityMap($custom);
         return;
+
       case 'severity.rules':
+        if (!$this->canCustomizeLintSeverities()) {
+          break;
+        }
+
         foreach ($value as $rule => $severity) {
           if (@preg_match($rule, '') === false) {
             throw new Exception(
@@ -412,6 +425,10 @@
     throw new Exception("Incomplete implementation: {$key}!");
   }
 
+  protected function canCustomizeLintSeverities() {
+    return true;
+  }
+
   protected function shouldLintBinaryFiles() {
     return false;
   }
diff --git a/src/lint/linter/ArcanistNoLintLinter.php b/src/lint/linter/ArcanistNoLintLinter.php
--- a/src/lint/linter/ArcanistNoLintLinter.php
+++ b/src/lint/linter/ArcanistNoLintLinter.php
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@
     return 'nolint';
   }
 
+  protected function canCustomizeLintSeverities() {
+    return false;
+  }
+
   public function lintPath($path) {
     $data = $this->getData($path);
     if (preg_match('/@'.'nolint/', $data)) {