Before: Save g:ale_warn_about_trailing_whitespace let g:ale_warn_about_trailing_whitespace = 1 runtime ale_linters/markdown/pymarkdown.vim After: Restore unlet! b:ale_warn_about_trailing_whitespace call ale#linter#Reset() Execute (Should parse error correctly): AssertEqual \ [ \ { \ 'lnum': 1, \ 'col': 1, \ 'type': 'M', \ 'text': 'Headings should be surrounded by blank lines', \ 'code': 'MD022', \ } \ ], \ ale_linters#markdown#pymarkdown#Handle(bufnr(''), [ \ 'foo.md:1:1: MD022: Headings should be surrounded by blank lines', \ ]) Execute(Warnings about trailing whitespace should be reported by default): AssertEqual \ [ \ { \ 'lnum': 1, \ 'col': 1, \ 'type': 'M', \ 'text': 'who cares', \ 'code': 'MD009', \ }, \ ], \ ale_linters#markdown#pymarkdown#Handle(bufnr(''), [ \ 'foo.md:1:1: MD009: who cares', \ ]) Execute(Disabling trailing whitespace warnings should work): let b:ale_warn_about_trailing_whitespace = 0 AssertEqual \ [ \ ], \ ale_linters#markdown#pymarkdown#Handle(bufnr(''), [ \ 'foo.md:1:1: MD009: who cares', \ ])