diff --git a/TEMPLATES/.hadolint.yml b/TEMPLATES/.hadolint.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from TEMPLATES/.hadolint.yml
rename to TEMPLATES/.hadolint.yaml
diff --git a/docs/disabling-linters.md b/docs/disabling-linters.md
index ca3947ce..1c254c92 100644
--- a/docs/disabling-linters.md
+++ b/docs/disabling-linters.md
@@ -311,9 +311,9 @@ analyzer:
 
 ### Hadolint standard Config file
 
-- `.github/linters/.hadolint.yml`
+- `.github/linters/.hadolint.yaml`
 - You can pass multiple rules and overwrite default rules
-- File should be located at: `.github/linters/.hadolint.yml`
+- File should be located at: `.github/linters/.hadolint.yaml`
 
 ### Hadolint disable single line
 
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ var = "terrible code down here..."
 - `.github/linters/.lintr`
 - You can pass multiple rules and overwrite default rules
 - You can use either one `.lintr` file in the root of your repository and/or additonal `.lintr` files in subdirectories. When linting a file lintr will look for config files from the file location upwards and will use the closest one.
-- Absolute paths for exclusions will not work due to the code being linted within the docker environment. Use paths relative to the `.lintr` file in which youare adding them.  
+- Absolute paths for exclusions will not work due to the code being linted within the docker environment. Use paths relative to the `.lintr` file in which youare adding them.
 - **Note:** The defaults adhere to the [tidyverse styleguide](https://style.tidyverse.org/)
 
 ### lintr disable single line
diff --git a/lib/linter.sh b/lib/linter.sh
index 8e63b3bc..3051ed64 100755
--- a/lib/linter.sh
+++ b/lib/linter.sh
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ CSS_FILE_NAME="${CSS_FILE_NAME:-.stylelintrc.json}"
 DART_FILE_NAME="analysis_options.yml"
 # shellcheck disable=SC2034  # Variable is referenced indirectly
 DOCKERFILE_FILE_NAME=".dockerfilelintrc"
-DOCKERFILE_HADOLINT_FILE_NAME="${DOCKERFILE_HADOLINT_FILE_NAME:-.hadolint.yml}"
+DOCKERFILE_HADOLINT_FILE_NAME="${DOCKERFILE_HADOLINT_FILE_NAME:-.hadolint.yaml}"
 EDITORCONFIG_FILE_NAME="${EDITORCONFIG_FILE_NAME:-.ecrc}"
 # shellcheck disable=SC2034  # Variable is referenced indirectly
 GO_FILE_NAME=".golangci.yml"
@@ -380,6 +380,9 @@ GetLinterRules() {
     return
   fi
 
+  debug "Initializing LANGUAGE_LINTER_RULES value to an empty string..."
+  eval "${LANGUAGE_LINTER_RULES}="
+
   ##########################
   # Get the file extension #
   ##########################
@@ -387,10 +390,12 @@ GetLinterRules() {
   FILE_NAME=$(basename "${!LANGUAGE_FILE_NAME}" ".${FILE_EXTENSION}")
   debug "${LANGUAGE_NAME} language rule file (${!LANGUAGE_FILE_NAME}) has ${FILE_NAME} name and ${FILE_EXTENSION} extension"
 
-  ###############################
-  # Set the secondary file name #
-  ###############################
+  ########################################
+  # Set the secondary file name and path #
+  ########################################
+  debug "Initializing SECONDARY_FILE_NAME and SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH..."
   SECONDARY_FILE_NAME=''
+  SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH=
 
   #################################
   # Check for secondary file name #
@@ -416,29 +421,28 @@ GetLinterRules() {
     # Update the path to the file location #
     ########################################
     eval "${LANGUAGE_LINTER_RULES}=${LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}"
-  else
-    debug "  -> Codebase does NOT have file:[${LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}]"
-    # Check if we have secondary name to check
-    if [ -n "$SECONDARY_FILE_NAME" ]; then
-      SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH="${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/${LINTER_RULES_PATH}/${SECONDARY_FILE_NAME}"
-      debug "${LANGUAGE_NAME} language rule file has a secondary rules file name to check (${SECONDARY_FILE_NAME}). Path: ${SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}"
 
-      if [ -f "${SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}" ]; then
-        info "----------------------------------------------"
-        info "User provided file:[${SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}] exists, setting rules file..."
+  # Check if we have secondary file name to look for
+  elif [ -n "$SECONDARY_FILE_NAME" ]; then
+    debug "  -> Codebase does NOT have file:[${LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}]."
+    SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH="${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/${LINTER_RULES_PATH}/${SECONDARY_FILE_NAME}"
+    debug "${LANGUAGE_NAME} language rule file has a secondary rules file name to check (${SECONDARY_FILE_NAME}). Path: ${SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}"
 
-        ########################################
-        # Update the path to the file location #
-        ########################################
-        eval "${LANGUAGE_LINTER_RULES}=${SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}"
-      fi
+    if [ -f "${SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}" ]; then
+      info "----------------------------------------------"
+      info "User provided file:[${SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}] exists, setting rules file..."
+
+      ########################################
+      # Update the path to the file location #
+      ########################################
+      eval "${LANGUAGE_LINTER_RULES}=${SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}"
     fi
-
+  else
     ########################################################
     # No user default provided, using the template default #
     ########################################################
     eval "${LANGUAGE_LINTER_RULES}=${DEFAULT_RULES_LOCATION}/${!LANGUAGE_FILE_NAME}"
-    debug "  -> Codebase does NOT have file:[${LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}], nor file:[${SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}], using Default rules at:[${!LANGUAGE_LINTER_RULES}]"
+    debug "  -> Codebase does NOT have file:[${LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}], nor the file:[${SECONDARY_LANGUAGE_FILE_PATH}], using Default rules at:[${!LANGUAGE_LINTER_RULES}]"
   fi
 
   debug "  -> Language rules file variable (${LANGUAGE_LINTER_RULES}) value is: ${!LANGUAGE_LINTER_RULES}"