diff --git a/src/configuration.ts b/src/configuration.ts
index 3632b5b803d..6d66d4602b8 100644
--- a/src/configuration.ts
+++ b/src/configuration.ts
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ function findup(filename: string, directory: string): string | undefined {
     while (true) { // tslint:disable-line strict-boolean-expressions
         const res = findFile(directory);
         if (res !== undefined) {
-            return res;
+            return path.join(directory, res);
         }
 
         const parent = path.dirname(directory);
diff --git a/test/configurationTests.ts b/test/configurationTests.ts
index 369a8f2d86e..185e05019de 100644
--- a/test/configurationTests.ts
+++ b/test/configurationTests.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import * as path from "path";
 import {
     convertRuleOptions,
     extendConfigurationFile,
+    findConfigurationPath,
     IConfigurationFile,
     loadConfigurationFromPath,
     parseConfigFile,
@@ -194,6 +195,23 @@ describe("Configuration", () => {
         });
     });
 
+    describe("findConfigurationPath", () => {
+        it("finds the closest tslint.json", () => {
+            assert.strictEqual(
+                findConfigurationPath(null, "./test/files/config-findup/contains-config"),
+                path.resolve("test/files/config-findup/contains-config/tslint.json"),
+            );
+            assert.strictEqual(
+                findConfigurationPath(null, "./test/files/config-findup/no-config"),
+                path.resolve("./test/files/config-findup/tslint.json"),
+            );
+            assert.strictEqual(
+                findConfigurationPath(null, "./test/files/config-findup"),
+                path.resolve("./test/files/config-findup/tslint.json"),
+            );
+        });
+    });
+
     describe("loadConfigurationFromPath", () => {
         it("extends with relative path", () => {
             const config = loadConfigurationFromPath("./test/config/tslint-extends-relative.json");
diff --git a/test/files/config-findup/contains-config/tslint.json b/test/files/config-findup/contains-config/tslint.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9e26dfeeb6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/config-findup/contains-config/tslint.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/files/config-findup/no-config/index.test.ts b/test/files/config-findup/no-config/index.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d
diff --git a/test/files/config-findup/tslint.json b/test/files/config-findup/tslint.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9e26dfeeb6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/config-findup/tslint.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{}
\ No newline at end of file