diff --git a/benches/file.rs b/benches/file.rs
index 0783e865e..27a7c31d8 100644
--- a/benches/file.rs
+++ b/benches/file.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ fn process_empty(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
     let corrections = typos::BuiltIn::new();
     let parser = typos::tokens::Parser::new();
     let checks = typos::checks::CheckSettings::new().build(&corrections, &parser);
-    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), typos::report::print_silent));
+    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), true, typos::report::print_silent));
 
     temp.close().unwrap();
 }
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ fn process_no_tokens(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
     let corrections = typos::BuiltIn::new();
     let parser = typos::tokens::Parser::new();
     let checks = typos::checks::CheckSettings::new().build(&corrections, &parser);
-    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), typos::report::print_silent));
+    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), true, typos::report::print_silent));
 
     temp.close().unwrap();
 }
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ fn process_single_token(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
     let corrections = typos::BuiltIn::new();
     let parser = typos::tokens::Parser::new();
     let checks = typos::checks::CheckSettings::new().build(&corrections, &parser);
-    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), typos::report::print_silent));
+    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), true, typos::report::print_silent));
 
     temp.close().unwrap();
 }
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ fn process_sherlock(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
     let corrections = typos::BuiltIn::new();
     let parser = typos::tokens::Parser::new();
     let checks = typos::checks::CheckSettings::new().build(&corrections, &parser);
-    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), typos::report::print_silent));
+    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), true, typos::report::print_silent));
 
     temp.close().unwrap();
 }
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ fn process_code(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
     let corrections = typos::BuiltIn::new();
     let parser = typos::tokens::Parser::new();
     let checks = typos::checks::CheckSettings::new().build(&corrections, &parser);
-    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), typos::report::print_silent));
+    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), true, typos::report::print_silent));
 
     temp.close().unwrap();
 }
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ fn process_corpus(b: &mut test::Bencher) {
     let corrections = typos::BuiltIn::new();
     let parser = typos::tokens::Parser::new();
     let checks = typos::checks::CheckSettings::new().build(&corrections, &parser);
-    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), typos::report::print_silent));
+    b.iter(|| checks.check_file(sample_path.path(), true, typos::report::print_silent));
 
     temp.close().unwrap();
 }
diff --git a/src/checks.rs b/src/checks.rs
index 308d724c8..4c8b475d4 100644
--- a/src/checks.rs
+++ b/src/checks.rs
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ impl<'d, 'p> Checks<'d, 'p> {
     pub fn check_file(
         &self,
         path: &std::path::Path,
+        explicit: bool,
         report: report::Report,
     ) -> Result<bool, failure::Error> {
         let mut typos_found = false;
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ impl<'d, 'p> Checks<'d, 'p> {
 
         let mut buffer = Vec::new();
         File::open(path)?.read_to_end(&mut buffer)?;
-        if !self.binary && buffer.find_byte(b'\0').is_some() {
+        if !explicit && !self.binary && buffer.find_byte(b'\0').is_some() {
             let msg = report::BinaryFile {
                 path,
                 non_exhaustive: (),
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 8673f7efe..456a054e3 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -290,10 +290,11 @@ fn run() -> Result<i32, failure::Error> {
     for entry in walk.build() {
         let entry = entry?;
         if entry.file_type().map(|t| t.is_file()).unwrap_or(true) {
+            let explicit = entry.depth() == 0;
             if checks.check_filename(entry.path(), options.format.report())? {
                 typos_found = true;
             }
-            if checks.check_file(entry.path(), options.format.report())? {
+            if checks.check_file(entry.path(), explicit, options.format.report())? {
                 typos_found = true;
             }
         }