diff --git a/Sources/Checkers/Lint.swift b/Sources/Checkers/Lint.swift
index d26739c..6284be7 100644
--- a/Sources/Checkers/Lint.swift
+++ b/Sources/Checkers/Lint.swift
@@ -131,26 +131,46 @@ public enum Lint {
 
   /// Run custom scripts as checks.
   ///
-  /// - Returns: If the command produces an output in the ``LintResults`` JSON format, will forward them. If the output iis an array of ``Violation`` instances, they will be wrapped in a ``LintResults`` object. Else, it will report exactly one violation if the command has a non-zero exit code with the last line(s) of output.
+  /// - Returns: If the command produces an output in the ``LintResults`` JSON format, will forward them.
+  ///            If the output iis an array of ``Violation`` instances, they will be wrapped in a ``LintResults`` object.
+  ///            Else, it will report exactly one violation if the command has a non-zero exit code with the last line(s) of output.
   public static func runCustomScript(check: Check, command: String) throws -> LintResults {
     let tempScriptFileUrl = URL(fileURLWithPath: "_\(check.id).tempscript")
     try command.write(to: tempScriptFileUrl, atomically: true, encoding: .utf8)
 
-    let output = try shellOut(to: "/bin/bash", arguments: [tempScriptFileUrl.path])
-    if let jsonString = output.lintResultsJsonString,
-      let jsonData = jsonString.data(using: .utf8),
-      let lintResults: LintResults = try? JSONDecoder.iso.decode(LintResults.self, from: jsonData)
-    {
-      return lintResults
-    }
-    else if let jsonString = output.violationsArrayJsonString,
-      let jsonData = jsonString.data(using: .utf8),
-      let violations: [Violation] = try? JSONDecoder.iso.decode([Violation].self, from: jsonData)
-    {
-      return [check.severity: [check: violations]]
+    do {
+      let output = try shellOut(to: "/bin/bash", arguments: [tempScriptFileUrl.path])
+      try FileManager.default.removeItem(at: tempScriptFileUrl)
+
+      if let jsonString = output.lintResultsJsonString,
+        let jsonData = jsonString.data(using: .utf8),
+        let lintResults: LintResults = try? JSONDecoder.iso.decode(LintResults.self, from: jsonData)
+      {
+        return lintResults
+      }
+      else if let jsonString = output.violationsArrayJsonString,
+        let jsonData = jsonString.data(using: .utf8),
+        let violations: [Violation] = try? JSONDecoder.iso.decode([Violation].self, from: jsonData)
+      {
+        return [check.severity: [check: violations]]
+      }
+      else {
+        // if the command fails, a ShellOutError will be thrown – here, none is thrown, so no violations
+        return [check.severity: [check: []]]
+      }
     }
-    else {
-      return [check.severity: [check: [Violation()]]]
+    catch {
+      if let shellOutError = error as? ShellOutError, shellOutError.terminationStatus != 0 {
+        return [
+          check.severity: [
+            check: [
+              Violation(message: shellOutError.output.components(separatedBy: .newlines).last)
+            ]
+          ]
+        ]
+      }
+
+      throw error
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/Sources/Core/Violation.swift b/Sources/Core/Violation.swift
index a932c99..b585a59 100644
--- a/Sources/Core/Violation.swift
+++ b/Sources/Core/Violation.swift
@@ -14,17 +14,22 @@ public struct Violation: Codable, Equatable {
   /// The autocorrection applied to fix this violation.
   public let appliedAutoCorrection: AutoCorrection?
 
+  /// A custom violation message.
+  public let message: String?
+
   /// Initializes a violation object.
   public init(
     discoverDate: Date = Date(),
     matchedString: String? = nil,
     location: Location? = nil,
-    appliedAutoCorrection: AutoCorrection? = nil
+    appliedAutoCorrection: AutoCorrection? = nil,
+    message: String? = nil
   ) {
     self.discoverDate = discoverDate
     self.matchedString = matchedString
     self.location = location
     self.appliedAutoCorrection = appliedAutoCorrection
+    self.message = message
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/Tests/CheckersTests/LintTests.swift b/Tests/CheckersTests/LintTests.swift
index d4e043a..c50c720 100644
--- a/Tests/CheckersTests/LintTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/CheckersTests/LintTests.swift
@@ -122,17 +122,18 @@ final class LintTests: XCTestCase {
   func testRunCustomScript() throws {
     var lintResults: LintResults = try Lint.runCustomScript(
       check: .init(id: "1", hint: "hint #1"),
-      command: """
+      command: #"""
         if which echo > /dev/null; then
           echo 'Executed custom checks with following result:
           {
             "warning": {
               "A@warning: hint for A": [
-                {},
-                { "matchedString": "A" },
+                { "discoverDate": "2001-01-01T00:00:00Z" },
+                { "discoverDate" : "2001-01-01T01:00:00Z", "matchedString": "A" },
                 {
+                  "discoverDate" : "2001-01-01T02:00:00Z",
                   "matchedString": "AAA",
-                  "location": { "filePath": "/some/path", "row": 5 },
+                  "location": { "filePath": "\/some\/path", "row": 5 },
                   "appliedAutoCorrection": { "before": "AAA", "after": "A" }
                 }
               ]
@@ -145,17 +146,76 @@ final class LintTests: XCTestCase {
           Total: 0 errors, 3 warnings, 0 info.'
         fi
 
-        """
+        """#
     )
 
     XCTAssertNoDifference(lintResults.allExecutedChecks.map(\.id), ["A", "B"])
     XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations.count, 3)
-    XCTAssertNoDifference(lintResults.allFoundViolations.map(\.matchedString), ["A", "AAA"])
-    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations.dropFirst().first?.location?.filePath, "/some/path")
-    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations.dropFirst().first?.location?.row, 5)
-    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations.dropFirst().first?.appliedAutoCorrection?.after, "A")
+    XCTAssertNoDifference(lintResults.allFoundViolations.map(\.matchedString), [nil, "A", "AAA"])
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations[2].location?.filePath, "/some/path")
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations[2].location?.row, 5)
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations[2].appliedAutoCorrection?.after, "A")
     XCTAssertNil(lintResults.checkViolationsBySeverity[.error]?.keys.first)
     XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.checkViolationsBySeverity[.info]?.keys.first?.id, "B")
+
+    lintResults = try Lint.runCustomScript(
+      check: .init(id: "1", hint: "hint #1", severity: .info),
+      command: #"""
+        if which echo > /dev/null; then
+          echo 'Executed custom check with following violations:
+          [
+            { "discoverDate": "2001-01-01T00:00:00Z" },
+            { "discoverDate" : "2001-01-01T01:00:00Z", "matchedString": "A" },
+            {
+              "discoverDate" : "2001-01-01T02:00:00Z",
+              "matchedString": "AAA",
+              "location": { "filePath": "\/some\/path", "row": 5 },
+              "appliedAutoCorrection": { "before": "AAA", "after": "A" }
+            }
+          ]
+
+          Total: 0 errors, 3 warnings, 0 info.'
+        fi
+
+        """#
+    )
+
+    XCTAssertNoDifference(lintResults.allExecutedChecks.map(\.id), ["1"])
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations.count, 3)
+    XCTAssertNoDifference(lintResults.allFoundViolations.map(\.matchedString), [nil, "A", "AAA"])
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations[2].location?.filePath, "/some/path")
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations[2].location?.row, 5)
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations[2].appliedAutoCorrection?.after, "A")
+    XCTAssertNil(lintResults.checkViolationsBySeverity[.error]?.keys.first)
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.checkViolationsBySeverity[.info]?.keys.first?.id, "1")
+
+    lintResults = try Lint.runCustomScript(
+      check: .init(id: "1", hint: "hint #1", severity: .info),
+      command:
+        "echo 'Executed custom check with 100 files.\nCustom check failed, please check file at path /some/path.' && exit 1"
+    )
+
+    XCTAssertNoDifference(lintResults.allExecutedChecks.map(\.id), ["1"])
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations.count, 1)
+    XCTAssertNoDifference(
+      lintResults.allFoundViolations.map(\.message),
+      ["Custom check failed, please check file at path /some/path."]
+    )
+    XCTAssertNil(lintResults.checkViolationsBySeverity[.error]?.keys.first)
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.checkViolationsBySeverity[.info]?.keys.first?.id, "1")
+
+    lintResults = try Lint.runCustomScript(
+      check: .init(id: "1", hint: "hint #1", severity: .info),
+      command: #"""
+        echo 'Executed custom check with 100 files.\nNo issues found.' && exit 0
+        """#
+    )
+
+    XCTAssertNoDifference(lintResults.allExecutedChecks.map(\.id), ["1"])
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.allFoundViolations.count, 0)
+    XCTAssertNoDifference(lintResults.allFoundViolations.map(\.matchedString), [])
+    XCTAssertNil(lintResults.checkViolationsBySeverity[.error]?.keys.first)
+    XCTAssertEqual(lintResults.checkViolationsBySeverity[.info]?.keys.first?.id, "1")
   }
 
   func testValidateParameterCombinations() {