diff --git a/src/cfengine_cli/commands.py b/src/cfengine_cli/commands.py
index ae1ed74..5d41724 100644
--- a/src/cfengine_cli/commands.py
+++ b/src/cfengine_cli/commands.py
@@ -52,14 +52,14 @@ def format(names, line_length, check) -> int:
     return format_paths(names, line_length, check)
 
 
-def _lint(files, strict) -> int:
+def _lint(files, strict, syntax_path) -> int:
     if not files:
-        return lint_args(["."], strict)
-    return lint_args(files, strict)
+        return lint_args(["."], strict, syntax_path)
+    return lint_args(files, strict, syntax_path)
 
 
-def lint(files, strict) -> int:
-    errors = _lint(files, strict)
+def lint(files, strict, syntax_path) -> int:
+    errors = _lint(files, strict, syntax_path)
     if errors == 0:
         print("Success, no errors found.")
     elif errors == 1:
diff --git a/src/cfengine_cli/lint.py b/src/cfengine_cli/lint.py
index d6acb3a..4429647 100644
--- a/src/cfengine_cli/lint.py
+++ b/src/cfengine_cli/lint.py
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ class SyntaxData:
     BUILTIN_PROMISE_TYPES = {}
     BUILTIN_FUNCTIONS = {}
 
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self, syntax_path=None):
         """Load the bundled syntax-description.json and derive lookup dicts."""
-        self._data_dict = self._load_syntax_description()
+        self._data_dict = self._load_syntax_description(path=syntax_path)
         self._derive_syntax_dicts(self._data_dict)
 
         assert self.BUILTIN_BODY_TYPES
@@ -1100,6 +1100,7 @@ def _lint_main(
     state=None,
     snippet: Snippet | None = None,
     syntax_data=None,
+    syntax_path: str | None = None,
 ) -> int:
     """This is the main function used for linting, it does all the steps on all
     the arguments (files / folders).
@@ -1127,7 +1128,10 @@ def _lint_main(
     state.mode = Mode.SYNTAX
 
     if syntax_data is None:
-        syntax_data = SyntaxData()
+        try:
+            syntax_data = SyntaxData(syntax_path)
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            raise UserError(f"'{syntax_path}' does not exist")
 
     filenames = _args_to_filenames(args)
 
@@ -1379,9 +1383,11 @@ def lint_single_file(file: str, strict: bool = True) -> int:
     return _lint_main([file], strict)
 
 
-def lint_args(args: Iterable[str], strict: bool = True) -> int:
+def lint_args(
+    args: Iterable[str], strict: bool = True, syntax_path: str | None = None
+) -> int:
     """Lint a list of args (files / folders)"""
-    return _lint_main(list(args), strict)
+    return _lint_main(list(args), strict, syntax_path=syntax_path)
 
 
 def lint_policy_file_snippet(
diff --git a/src/cfengine_cli/main.py b/src/cfengine_cli/main.py
index 77e3cbd..9cffc12 100644
--- a/src/cfengine_cli/main.py
+++ b/src/cfengine_cli/main.py
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ def _get_arg_parser():
         default="yes",
         help="Strict mode. Default=yes, checks for undefined promise types, bundles, bodies, functions",
     )
+    lnt.add_argument(
+        "--syntax-description",
+        type=str,
+        help="Lint based on a user given syntax description",
+    )
     lnt.add_argument("files", nargs="*", help="Files to lint")
     subp.add_parser(
         "report",
@@ -188,7 +193,11 @@ def run_command_with_args(args) -> int:
     if args.command == "format":
         return commands.format(args.files, args.line_length, args.check)
     if args.command == "lint":
-        return commands.lint(args.files, (args.strict.lower() in ("y", "ye", "yes")))
+        return commands.lint(
+            args.files,
+            (args.strict.lower() in ("y", "ye", "yes")),
+            args.syntax_description,
+        )
     if args.command == "report":
         return commands.report()
     if args.command == "run":