diff -up rpmlint-2.1.0/rpmlint/cli.py.fix-rpmlintrc-load-from-cmdline rpmlint-2.1.0/rpmlint/cli.py
--- rpmlint-2.1.0/rpmlint/cli.py.fix-rpmlintrc-load-from-cmdline	2021-09-17 10:07:00.599255215 -0400
+++ rpmlint-2.1.0/rpmlint/cli.py	2021-09-17 10:08:29.337741059 -0400
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def process_lint_args(argv):
     parser.add_argument('-V', '--version', action='version', version=__version__, help='show package version and exit')
     parser.add_argument('-c', '--config', type=_validate_conf_location, help='load up additional configuration data from specified path (file or directory with *.toml files)')
     parser.add_argument('-e', '--explain', nargs='+', default='', help='provide detailed explanation for one specific message id')
-    parser.add_argument('-r', '--rpmlintrc', type=Path, help='load up specified rpmlintrc file')
+    parser.add_argument('-r', '--rpmlintrc', type=_is_file_path, help='load up specified rpmlintrc file')
     parser.add_argument('-v', '--verbose', '--info', action='store_true', help='provide detailed explanations where available')
     parser.add_argument('-p', '--print-config', action='store_true', help='print the settings that are in effect when using the rpmlint')
     parser.add_argument('-i', '--installed', nargs='+', default='', help='installed packages to be validated by rpmlint')
@@ -164,6 +164,13 @@ def _validate_conf_location(string):
     return config_paths
 
 
+def _is_file_path(path):
+    p = Path(path)
+    if not p.is_file():
+        raise argparse.ArgumentTypeError(f'{path} is not a valid file path')
+    return p
+
+
 def lint():
     """
     Main wrapper for lint command processing
diff -up rpmlint-2.1.0/rpmlint/lint.py.fix-rpmlintrc-load-from-cmdline rpmlint-2.1.0/rpmlint/lint.py
--- rpmlint-2.1.0/rpmlint/lint.py.fix-rpmlintrc-load-from-cmdline	2021-08-17 09:31:56.000000000 -0400
+++ rpmlint-2.1.0/rpmlint/lint.py	2021-09-17 10:11:13.989642586 -0400
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ class Lint(object):
             self.profile.enable()
         else:
             self.profile = None
+
+        if options['rpmlintrc']:
+            options['rpmlintrc'] = [options['rpmlintrc']]
         self._load_rpmlintrc()
         if options['verbose']:
             self.config.info = options['verbose']
@@ -161,6 +164,9 @@ class Lint(object):
         Load rpmlintrc from argument or load up from folder
         """
         if self.options['rpmlintrc']:
+            # Right now, we allow loading of just a single file, but the 'opensuse'
+            # branch contains auto-loading mechanism that can eventually load
+            # multiple files.
             for rcfile in self.options['rpmlintrc']:
                 self.config.load_rpmlintrc(rcfile)
         else:
diff -up rpmlint-2.1.0/test/test_lint.py.fix-rpmlintrc-load-from-cmdline rpmlint-2.1.0/test/test_lint.py
--- rpmlint-2.1.0/test/test_lint.py.fix-rpmlintrc-load-from-cmdline	2021-08-17 09:31:56.000000000 -0400
+++ rpmlint-2.1.0/test/test_lint.py	2021-09-17 10:06:40.937147554 -0400
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ def test_run_rpmlintrc_multiple(capsys,
 def test_run_rpmlintrc_single_file(capsys, packages):
     additional_options = {
         'rpmfile': [packages],
-        'rpmlintrc': [TEST_RPMLINTRC]
+        'rpmlintrc': TEST_RPMLINTRC
     }
     options = {**options_preset, **additional_options}
     linter = Lint(options)