diff --git a/cli/cli.go b/cli/cli.go
index dd4504d6e..a74ab8597 100644
--- a/cli/cli.go
+++ b/cli/cli.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func Root() *cobra.Command {
 	rootCommand.PersistentFlags().String("format", "text", "The output format can be {text|json}.")
 	rootCommand.PersistentFlags().String("library-manager", "", "Configure the checks for libraries in the Arduino Library Manager index. Can be {submit|update|false}.\nsubmit: Also run additional checks required to pass before a library is accepted for inclusion in the index.\nupdate: Also run additional checks required to pass before new releases of a library already in the index are accepted.\nfalse: Don't run any Library Manager-specific checks.")
 	rootCommand.PersistentFlags().String("project-type", "all", "Only check projects of the specified type and their subprojects. Can be {sketch|library|all}.")
-	rootCommand.PersistentFlags().Bool("recursive", true, "Search path recursively for Arduino projects to check. Can be {true|false}.")
+	rootCommand.PersistentFlags().String("recursive", "true", "Search path recursively for Arduino projects to check. Can be {true|false}.")
 	rootCommand.PersistentFlags().String("report-file", "", "Save a report on the checks to this file.")
 	rootCommand.PersistentFlags().BoolP("verbose", "v", false, "Show more information while running checks.")
 	rootCommand.PersistentFlags().Bool("version", false, "Print version and timestamp of the build.")
diff --git a/configuration/configuration.go b/configuration/configuration.go
index 63c471518..2e373a4a4 100644
--- a/configuration/configuration.go
+++ b/configuration/configuration.go
@@ -80,7 +80,11 @@ func Initialize(flags *pflag.FlagSet, projectPaths []string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("--project-type flag value %s not valid", superprojectTypeFilterString)
 	}
 
-	recursive, _ = flags.GetBool("recursive")
+	recursiveString, _ := flags.GetString("recursive")
+	recursive, err = strconv.ParseBool(recursiveString)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("--recursive flag value %s not valid", recursiveString)
+	}
 
 	reportFilePathString, _ := flags.GetString("report-file")
 	reportFilePath = paths.New(reportFilePathString)
diff --git a/configuration/configuration_test.go b/configuration/configuration_test.go
index 29e510ed6..9ea49f30b 100644
--- a/configuration/configuration_test.go
+++ b/configuration/configuration_test.go
@@ -160,6 +160,9 @@ func TestInitializeProjectType(t *testing.T) {
 func TestInitializeRecursive(t *testing.T) {
 	flags := test.ConfigurationFlags()
 
+	flags.Set("recursive", "foo")
+	assert.Error(t, Initialize(flags, projectPaths))
+
 	flags.Set("recursive", "true")
 	assert.Nil(t, Initialize(flags, projectPaths))
 	assert.True(t, Recursive())
diff --git a/util/test/test.go b/util/test/test.go
index f9179bae7..b5539992f 100644
--- a/util/test/test.go
+++ b/util/test/test.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func ConfigurationFlags() *pflag.FlagSet {
 	flags.String("log-format", "text", "")
 	flags.String("log-level", "panic", "")
 	flags.String("project-type", "all", "")
-	flags.Bool("recursive", true, "")
+	flags.String("recursive", "true", "")
 	flags.String("report-file", "", "")
 	flags.Bool("verbose", false, "")
 	flags.Bool("version", false, "")