diff --git a/crates/typos-cli/src/bin/typos-cli/main.rs b/crates/typos-cli/src/bin/typos-cli/main.rs
index dc8ce6b..629e666 100644
--- a/crates/typos-cli/src/bin/typos-cli/main.rs
+++ b/crates/typos-cli/src/bin/typos-cli/main.rs
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ fn run_checks(args: &args::Args) -> proc_exit::ExitResult {
     };
 
     // Note: file_list and args.path are mutually exclusive, enforced by clap
-    for path in file_list.as_ref().unwrap_or(&args.path) {
+    'path: for path in file_list.as_ref().unwrap_or(&args.path) {
         // Note paths are passed through stdin, `-` is treated like a normal path
         let cwd = if path == std::path::Path::new("-") {
             if args.file_list.is_some() {
@@ -244,8 +244,14 @@ fn run_checks(args: &args::Args) -> proc_exit::ExitResult {
                 .build()
                 .with_code(proc_exit::sysexits::CONFIG_ERR)?;
             if args.force_exclude {
-                if let ignore::Match::Ignore(_) = overrides.matched(path, path.is_dir()) {
-                    continue;
+                let mut ancestors = path.ancestors().collect::<Vec<_>>();
+                ancestors.reverse();
+                for path in ancestors {
+                    match overrides.matched(path, path.is_dir()) {
+                        ignore::Match::None => {}
+                        ignore::Match::Ignore(_) => continue 'path,
+                        ignore::Match::Whitelist(_) => break,
+                    }
                 }
             }
             walk.overrides(overrides);
diff --git a/crates/typos-cli/tests/cmd/force-exclude.toml b/crates/typos-cli/tests/cmd/force-exclude.toml
index 405c75d..4587740 100644
--- a/crates/typos-cli/tests/cmd/force-exclude.toml
+++ b/crates/typos-cli/tests/cmd/force-exclude.toml
@@ -1,19 +1,5 @@
 bin.name = "typos"
 args = "file.ignore ignore/file parent/ignore/file --force-exclude"
 stdin = ""
-stdout = """
-error: `hello` should be `goodbye`
-  --> ignore/file:1:1
-  |
-1 | hello
-  | ^^^^^
-  |
-error: `hello` should be `goodbye`
-  --> parent/ignore/file:1:1
-  |
-1 | hello
-  | ^^^^^
-  |
-"""
+stdout = ""
 stderr = ""
-status.code = 2