diff --git a/packages/cspell/bin.mjs b/packages/cspell/bin.mjs
index 04e1de88303..a8a9062b8db 100755
--- a/packages/cspell/bin.mjs
+++ b/packages/cspell/bin.mjs
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ import * as app from './dist/esm/app.mjs';
 
 app.run(program, process.argv).catch((e) => {
     if (!(e instanceof CommanderError) && !(e instanceof app.CheckFailed)) {
-        const msg = format(e) + '\n';
-        process.stdout.write(msg);
+        const msg = e instanceof app.ApplicationError ? e.message : format(e);
+        process.stdout.write(msg + '\n');
         // It is possible an explicit exit code was set, use it if it was.
         process.exitCode = process.exitCode || 1;
     }
diff --git a/packages/cspell/src/app/__snapshots__/app.test.ts.snap b/packages/cspell/src/app/__snapshots__/app.test.ts.snap
index e54ad415f78..dce72e677db 100644
--- a/packages/cspell/src/app/__snapshots__/app.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/cspell/src/app/__snapshots__/app.test.ts.snap
@@ -588,6 +588,149 @@ exports[`Validate cli > app 'link remove' 1`] = `""`;
 
 exports[`Validate cli > app 'link' 1`] = `""`;
 
+exports[`Validate cli > app 'lint --help --issue-template' Expect Error: 'outputHelp' 1`] = `
+[
+  "Usage: cspell lint [options] [globs...] [file://<path> ...] [stdin[://<path>]]",
+  "",
+  "Patterns:",
+  " - [globs...]            Glob Patterns",
+  " - [stdin]               Read from "stdin" assume text file.",
+  " - [stdin://<path>]      Read from "stdin", use <path> for file type and config.",
+  " - [file://<path>]       Check the file at <path>",
+  "",
+  "Examples:",
+  "    cspell .                        Recursively check all files.",
+  "    cspell lint .                   The same as "cspell ."",
+  "    cspell "*.js"                   Check all .js files in the current directory",
+  "    cspell "**/*.js"                Check all .js files recursively",
+  "    cspell "src/**/*.js"            Only check .js under src",
+  "    cspell "**/*.txt" "**/*.js"     Check both .js and .txt files.",
+  "    cspell "**/*.{txt,js,md}"       Check .txt, .js, and .md files.",
+  "    cat LICENSE | cspell stdin      Check stdin",
+  "    cspell stdin://docs/doc.md      Check stdin as if it was "./docs/doc.md"",
+  "",
+  "Check spelling",
+  "",
+  "Options:",
+  "  -c, --config <cspell.json>   Configuration file to use.  By default cspell",
+  "                               looks for cspell.json in the current directory.",
+  "  -v, --verbose                Display more information about the files being",
+  "                               checked and the configuration.",
+  "  --locale <locale>            Set language locales. i.e. "en,fr" for English",
+  "                               and French, or "en-GB" for British English.",
+  "  --language-id <file-type>    Force programming language for unknown",
+  "                               extensions. i.e. "php" or "scala"",
+  "  --words-only                 Only output the words not found in the",
+  "                               dictionaries.",
+  "  -u, --unique                 Only output the first instance of a word not",
+  "                               found in the dictionaries.",
+  "  -e, --exclude <glob>         Exclude files matching the glob pattern. This",
+  "                               option can be used multiple times to add",
+  "                               multiple globs.",
+  "  --file-list <path or stdin>  Specify a list of files to be spell checked. The",
+  "                               list is filtered against the glob file patterns.",
+  "                               Note: the format is 1 file path per line.",
+  "  --file [file...]             Specify files to spell check. They are filtered",
+  "                               by the [globs...].",
+  "  --no-issues                  Do not show the spelling errors.",
+  "  --no-progress                Turn off progress messages",
+  "  --no-summary                 Turn off summary message in console.",
+  "  -s, --silent                 Silent mode, suppress error messages.",
+  "  --no-exit-code               Do not return an exit code if issues are found.",
+  "  --quiet                      Only show spelling issues or errors.",
+  "  --fail-fast                  Exit after first file with an issue or error.",
+  "  -r, --root <root folder>     Root directory, defaults to current directory.",
+  "  --no-relative                Issues are displayed with absolute path instead",
+  "                               of relative to the root.",
+  "  --show-context               Show the surrounding text around an issue.",
+  "  --show-suggestions           Show spelling suggestions.",
+  "  --no-show-suggestions        Do not show spelling suggestions or fixes.",
+  "  --no-must-find-files         Do not error if no files are found.",
+  "  --cache                      Use cache to only check changed files.",
+  "  --no-cache                   Do not use cache.",
+  "  --cache-reset                Reset the cache file.",
+  "  --cache-strategy <strategy>  Strategy to use for detecting changed files.",
+  "                               (choices: "metadata", "content")",
+  "  --cache-location <path>      Path to the cache file or directory. (default:",
+  "                               ".cspellcache")",
+  "  --dot                        Include files and directories starting with \`.\`",
+  "                               (period) when matching globs.",
+  "  --gitignore                  Ignore files matching glob patterns found in",
+  "                               .gitignore files.",
+  "  --no-gitignore               Do NOT use .gitignore files.",
+  "  --gitignore-root <path>      Prevent searching for .gitignore files past",
+  "                               root.",
+  "  --validate-directives        Validate in-document CSpell directives.",
+  "  --no-color                   Turn off color.",
+  "  --color                      Force color.",
+  "  --no-default-configuration   Do not load the default configuration and",
+  "                               dictionaries.",
+  "  --debug                      Output information useful for debugging",
+  "                               cspell.json files.",
+  "  --reporter <module|path>     Specify one or more reporters to use.",
+  "  --issue-template [template]  Use a custom issue template. See --help",
+  "                               --issue-template for details.",
+  "  -h, --help                   display help for command",
+  "",
+  "Issue Template:",
+  "  Use "--issue-template"  to set the template to use when reporting issues.",
+  "",
+  "  The template is a string that can contain the following placeholders:",
+  "  - $filename - the file name",
+  "  - $col - the column number",
+  "  - $row - the row number",
+  "  - $text - the word that is misspelled",
+  "  - $message - the issues message: "unknown word", "word is misspelled", etc.",
+  "  - $messageColored - the issues message with color based upon the message type.",
+  "  - $uri - the URI of the file",
+  "  - $suggestions - suggestions for the misspelled word (if requested)",
+  "  - $quickFix - possible quick fixes for the misspelled word.",
+  "  - $contextFull - the full context of the misspelled word.",
+  "  - $contextLeft - the context to the left of the misspelled word.",
+  "  - $contextRight - the context to the right of the misspelled word.",
+  "",
+  "  Color is supported using the following template pattern:",
+  "  - \`{<style[.style]> <text>}\` - where \`<style>\` is a style name and \`<text>\` is the text to style.",
+  "",
+  "  Styles",
+  "  - \`bold\`, \`italic\`, \`underline\`, \`strikethrough\`, \`dim\`, \`inverse\`",
+  "  - \`black\`, \`red\`, \`green\`, \`yellow\`, \`blue\`, \`magenta\`, \`cyan\`, \`white\`",
+  "",
+  "  Example:",
+  "    --issue-template '{green $filename}:{yellow $row}:{yellow $col} $message {red $text} $quickFix {dim $suggestions}'",
+  "",
+  "More Examples:",
+  "",
+  "    cspell "**/*.js" --reporter @cspell/cspell-json-reporter",
+  "        This will spell check all ".js" files recursively and use",
+  "        "@cspell/cspell-json-reporter".",
+  "",
+  "    cspell . --reporter default",
+  "        This will force the default reporter to be used overriding",
+  "        any reporters defined in the configuration.",
+  "",
+  "    cspell . --reporter ./<path>/reporter.cjs",
+  "        Use a custom reporter. See API for details.",
+  "",
+  "    cspell "*.md" --exclude CHANGELOG.md --files README.md CHANGELOG.md",
+  "        Spell check only check "README.md" but NOT "CHANGELOG.md".",
+  "",
+  "    cspell "/*.md" --no-must-find-files --files $FILES",
+  "        Only spell check the "/*.md" files in $FILES,",
+  "        where $FILES is a shell variable that contains the list of files.",
+  "",
+  "References:",
+  "    https://cspell.org",
+  "    https://github.com/streetsidesoftware/cspell",
+  "",
+  "",
+]
+`;
+
+exports[`Validate cli > app 'lint --help --issue-template' Expect Error: 'outputHelp' 2`] = `""`;
+
+exports[`Validate cli > app 'lint --help --issue-template' Expect Error: 'outputHelp' 3`] = `""`;
+
 exports[`Validate cli > app 'lint --help --verbose' Expect Error: 'outputHelp' 1`] = `
 [
   "Usage: cspell lint [options] [globs...] [file://<path> ...] [stdin[://<path>]]",
@@ -668,6 +811,8 @@ exports[`Validate cli > app 'lint --help --verbose' Expect Error: 'outputHelp' 1
   "  --debug                      Output information useful for debugging",
   "                               cspell.json files.",
   "  --reporter <module|path>     Specify one or more reporters to use.",
+  "  --issue-template [template]  Use a custom issue template. See --help",
+  "                               --issue-template for details.",
   "  -h, --help                   display help for command",
   "",
   "Hidden Options:",
@@ -802,6 +947,8 @@ exports[`Validate cli > app 'lint --help' Expect Error: 'outputHelp' 1`] = `
   "  --debug                      Output information useful for debugging",
   "                               cspell.json files.",
   "  --reporter <module|path>     Specify one or more reporters to use.",
+  "  --issue-template [template]  Use a custom issue template. See --help",
+  "                               --issue-template for details.",
   "  -h, --help                   display help for command",
   "",
   "More Examples:",
@@ -934,6 +1081,8 @@ exports[`Validate cli > app 'no-args' Expect Error: 'outputHelp' 1`] = `
   "  --debug                      Output information useful for debugging",
   "                               cspell.json files.",
   "  --reporter <module|path>     Specify one or more reporters to use.",
+  "  --issue-template [template]  Use a custom issue template. See --help",
+  "                               --issue-template for details.",
   "  -h, --help                   display help for command",
   "",
   "More Examples:",
@@ -1958,6 +2107,27 @@ notinanydictionary - workspace*           ../../cspell-dict.txt
 "
 `;
 
+exports[`Validate cli > app 'typos --issue-template' Expect Error: [Function CheckFailed] 1`] = `[]`;
+
+exports[`Validate cli > app 'typos --issue-template' Expect Error: [Function CheckFailed] 2`] = `
+"log	Orangges
+log
+log	blacklist
+log
+log	whitelist
+log
+log	rad
+log
+log	english
+log
+log	Blacklisted
+log
+error	CSpell: Files checked: 3, Issues found: 6 in 2 files.
+error"
+`;
+
+exports[`Validate cli > app 'typos --issue-template' Expect Error: [Function CheckFailed] 3`] = `""`;
+
 exports[`Validate cli > app 'typos --no-show-suggestions' Expect Error: [Function CheckFailed] 1`] = `[]`;
 
 exports[`Validate cli > app 'typos --no-show-suggestions' Expect Error: [Function CheckFailed] 2`] = `
diff --git a/packages/cspell/src/app/app.test.ts b/packages/cspell/src/app/app.test.ts
index c31369241d5..c5a45f9c85e 100644
--- a/packages/cspell/src/app/app.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cspell/src/app/app.test.ts
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ describe('Validate cli', () => {
         ${'--help'}                                    | ${['--help']}                                                                                  | ${'outputHelp'}    | ${false} | ${false} | ${false}
         ${'lint --help'}                               | ${['lint', '--help']}                                                                          | ${'outputHelp'}    | ${false} | ${false} | ${false}
         ${'lint --help --verbose'}                     | ${['lint', '--help', '--verbose']}                                                             | ${'outputHelp'}    | ${false} | ${false} | ${false}
+        ${'lint --help --issue-template'}              | ${['lint', '--help', '--issue-template']}                                                      | ${'outputHelp'}    | ${false} | ${false} | ${false}
         ${'current_file'}                              | ${[__filename]}                                                                                | ${undefined}       | ${true}  | ${false} | ${false}
         ${'current_file --show-perf-summary'}          | ${[__filename, '--show-perf-summary']}                                                         | ${undefined}       | ${true}  | ${false} | ${false}
         ${'with spelling errors Dutch.txt'}            | ${[pathSamples('Dutch.txt')]}                                                                  | ${app.CheckFailed} | ${true}  | ${true}  | ${false}
@@ -195,6 +196,7 @@ describe('Validate cli', () => {
         ${'typos'}                                     | ${['-r', pathFix('features/typos'), '--no-progress', '.']}                                     | ${app.CheckFailed} | ${true}  | ${true}  | ${false}
         ${'typos --no-show-suggestions'}               | ${['-r', pathFix('features/typos'), '--no-progress', '--no-show-suggestions', '.']}            | ${app.CheckFailed} | ${true}  | ${true}  | ${false}
         ${'typos --show-suggestions'}                  | ${['-r', pathFix('features/typos'), '--no-progress', '--show-suggestions', '**']}              | ${app.CheckFailed} | ${true}  | ${true}  | ${false}
+        ${'typos --issue-template'}                    | ${['-r', pathFix('features/typos'), '--no-progress', '.', '--issue-template', '$text']}        | ${app.CheckFailed} | ${true}  | ${true}  | ${false}
         ${'inline suggest'}                            | ${['-r', pathFix('features/inline-suggest'), '--no-progress', '--show-suggestions', '.']}      | ${app.CheckFailed} | ${true}  | ${true}  | ${false}
         ${'reporter'}                                  | ${['-r', pathFix('features/reporter'), '-c', pathFix('features/reporter/cspell.config.yaml')]} | ${undefined}       | ${false} | ${true}  | ${false}
         ${'issue-4811 **/README.md'}                   | ${['-r', pIssues('issue-4811'), '--no-progress', '**/README.md']}                              | ${undefined}       | ${true}  | ${false} | ${false}
diff --git a/packages/cspell/src/app/app.ts b/packages/cspell/src/app/app.ts
index e002a63bc43..ad05412794d 100644
--- a/packages/cspell/src/app/app.ts
+++ b/packages/cspell/src/app/app.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { commandTrace } from './commandTrace.js';
 import { ApplicationError } from './util/errors.js';
 
 export { LinterCliOptions as Options } from './options.js';
-export { CheckFailed } from './util/errors.js';
+export { ApplicationError, CheckFailed } from './util/errors.js';
 
 export async function run(command?: Command, argv?: string[]): Promise<void> {
     const prog = command || program;
diff --git a/packages/cspell/src/app/cli-reporter.test.ts b/packages/cspell/src/app/cli-reporter.test.ts
index 66d8e552abc..10bc4f0111c 100644
--- a/packages/cspell/src/app/cli-reporter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cspell/src/app/cli-reporter.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { Chalk } from 'chalk';
 import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest';
 
 import type { ReporterIssue } from './cli-reporter.js';
-import { __testing__ } from './cli-reporter.js';
+import { __testing__, checkTemplate } from './cli-reporter.js';
 
 const { formatIssue } = __testing__;
 
@@ -35,6 +35,19 @@ describe('cli-reporter', () => {
     `('formatIssue $issue $template', ({ issue, template, expected }) => {
         expect(formatIssue(ioChalk, template, issue, 200)).toBe(expected);
     });
+
+    test.each`
+        template                                     | expected
+        ${''}                                        | ${true}
+        ${'{red $filename}'}                         | ${true}
+        ${'{red $filename'}                          | ${new Error('Chalk template literal is missing 1 closing bracket (`}`)')}
+        ${'{hello $filename}'}                       | ${new Error('Unknown Chalk style: hello')}
+        ${'{green.bold.underline $file}'}            | ${new Error(`Unresolved template variable: '$file'`)}
+        ${'{green.bold.underline $file}:$rows:$col'} | ${new Error(`Unresolved template variables: '$file', '$rows'`)}
+    `('checkTemplate $template', ({ template, expected }) => {
+        const r = checkTemplate(template);
+        expect(r).toEqual(expected);
+    });
 });
 
 function genIssue(word: string): ReporterIssue {
diff --git a/packages/cspell/src/app/cli-reporter.ts b/packages/cspell/src/app/cli-reporter.ts
index 23ce68aaa8c..d2f743fc386 100644
--- a/packages/cspell/src/app/cli-reporter.ts
+++ b/packages/cspell/src/app/cli-reporter.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import type { Channel } from './console.js';
 import { console as customConsole } from './console.js';
 import { CSpellReporterConfiguration } from './models.js';
 import type { LinterCliOptions } from './options.js';
+import { ApplicationError } from './util/errors.js';
 import type { FinalizedReporter } from './util/reporters.js';
 import { uniqueFilterFnGenerator } from './util/util.js';
 
@@ -36,6 +37,23 @@ const console = undefined;
 
 assert(!console);
 
+export interface TemplateSubstitutions extends Record<string, string> {
+    $col: string;
+    $contextFull: string;
+    $contextLeft: string;
+    $contextRight: string;
+    $filename: string;
+    $padContext: string;
+    $padRowCol: string;
+    $row: string;
+    $suggestions: string;
+    $text: string;
+    $uri: string;
+    $quickFix: string;
+    $message: string;
+    $messageColored: string;
+}
+
 export // Exported for testing.
 interface ReporterIssue extends Issue {
     filename: string;
@@ -177,7 +195,7 @@ export function getReporter(options: ReporterOptions, config?: CSpellReporterCon
         perf: Object.create(null) as SpellCheckFilePerf,
     };
     const uniqueIssues = config?.unique || false;
-    const issueTemplate = options.wordsOnly
+    const defaultIssueTemplate = options.wordsOnly
         ? templateIssueWordsOnly
         : options.legacy
           ? templateIssueLegacy
@@ -192,6 +210,10 @@ export function getReporter(options: ReporterOptions, config?: CSpellReporterCon
                 : templateIssue;
     const { fileGlobs, silent, summary, issues, progress: showProgress, verbose, debug } = options;
 
+    const issueTemplate = config?.issueTemplate || defaultIssueTemplate;
+
+    assertCheckTemplate(issueTemplate);
+
     const console = config?.console || customConsole;
 
     const stdio: IO = {
@@ -351,7 +373,7 @@ function formatIssue(io: IOChalk, templateStr: string, issue: ReporterIssue, max
     const padRowCol = ' '.repeat(Math.max(1, 8 - (rowText.length + colText.length)));
     const suggestions = formatSuggestions(io, issue);
     const msg = issue.message || (issue.isFlagged ? 'Forbidden word' : 'Unknown word');
-    const message = issue.isFlagged ? `{yellow ${msg}}` : msg;
+    const messageColored = issue.isFlagged ? `{yellow ${msg}}` : msg;
 
     const substitutions = {
         $col: colText,
@@ -366,9 +388,11 @@ function formatIssue(io: IOChalk, templateStr: string, issue: ReporterIssue, max
         $text: text,
         $uri: uri,
         $quickFix: formatQuickFix(io, issue),
+        $message: msg,
+        $messageColored: messageColored,
     };
 
-    const t = templateStr.replaceAll('$message', message);
+    const t = templateStr.replaceAll('$messageColored', messageColored);
     const chalkTemplate = makeTemplate(io.chalk);
     return substitute(chalkTemplate(t), substitutions).trimEnd();
 }
@@ -399,14 +423,20 @@ function formatQuickFix(io: IOChalk, issue: Issue): string {
     return `fix: (${fixes.join(', ')})`;
 }
 
-function substitute(text: string, substitutions: Record<string, string>): string {
+function substitute(text: string, substitutions: TemplateSubstitutions): string {
     type SubRange = [number, number, string];
     const subs: SubRange[] = [];
 
     for (const [match, replaceWith] of Object.entries(substitutions)) {
         const len = match.length;
-        for (let i = text.indexOf(match); i >= 0; i = text.indexOf(match, i + 1)) {
-            subs.push([i, i + len, replaceWith]);
+        for (let i = text.indexOf(match); i >= 0; i = text.indexOf(match, i)) {
+            const end = i + len;
+            const reg = /\b/y;
+            reg.lastIndex = end;
+            if (reg.test(text)) {
+                subs.push([i, end, replaceWith]);
+            }
+            i = end;
         }
     }
 
@@ -424,6 +454,49 @@ function substitute(text: string, substitutions: Record<string, string>): string
     return parts.join('') + text.slice(i);
 }
 
+function assertCheckTemplate(template: string): void {
+    const r = checkTemplate(template);
+    if (r instanceof Error) {
+        throw r;
+    }
+}
+
+export function checkTemplate(template: string): true | Error {
+    const chalk = new Chalk();
+    const chalkTemplate = makeTemplate(chalk);
+    const substitutions: TemplateSubstitutions = {
+        $col: '<col>',
+        $contextFull: '<contextFull>',
+        $contextLeft: '<contextLeft>',
+        $contextRight: '<contextRight>',
+        $filename: '<filename>',
+        $padContext: '<padContext>',
+        $padRowCol: '<padRowCol>',
+        $row: '<row>',
+        $suggestions: '<suggestions>',
+        $text: '<text>',
+        $uri: '<uri>',
+        $quickFix: '<quickFix>',
+        $message: '<message>',
+        $messageColored: '<messageColored>',
+    };
+
+    try {
+        const t = chalkTemplate(template);
+        const result = substitute(t, substitutions);
+        const problems = [...result.matchAll(/\$[a-z]+/gi)].map((m) => m[0]);
+        if (problems.length) {
+            throw new Error(
+                `Unresolved template variable${problems.length > 1 ? 's' : ''}: ${problems.map((v) => `'${v}'`).join(', ')}`,
+            );
+        }
+        return true;
+    } catch (e) {
+        const msg = e instanceof Error ? e.message : `${e}`;
+        return new ApplicationError(msg);
+    }
+}
+
 export const __testing__ = {
     formatIssue,
 };
diff --git a/packages/cspell/src/app/commandLint.ts b/packages/cspell/src/app/commandLint.ts
index 13c3f1f3cd3..47b700fbbb2 100644
--- a/packages/cspell/src/app/commandLint.ts
+++ b/packages/cspell/src/app/commandLint.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import * as App from './application.js';
 import type { LinterCliOptions } from './options.js';
 import { DEFAULT_CACHE_LOCATION } from './util/cache/index.js';
 import { CheckFailed } from './util/errors.js';
+import { unindent } from './util/unindent.js';
 
 // interface InitOptions extends Options {}
 
@@ -162,6 +163,7 @@ export function commandLint(prog: Command): Command {
         )
         .addOption(crOpt('--issues-summary-report', 'Output a summary of issues found.').hideHelp())
         .addOption(crOpt('--show-perf-summary', 'Output a performance summary report.').hideHelp())
+        .option('--issue-template [template]', 'Use a custom issue template. See --help --issue-template for details.')
         // Planned options
         // .option('--dictionary <dictionary name>', 'Enable a dictionary by name.', collect)
         // .option('--no-dictionary <dictionary name>', 'Disable a dictionary by name.', collect)
@@ -195,6 +197,39 @@ export function commandLint(prog: Command): Command {
     return spellCheckCommand;
 }
 
+function helpIssueTemplate(opts: LinterCliOptions): string {
+    if (!('issueTemplate' in opts)) return '';
+
+    return unindent`
+      Issue Template:
+        Use "--issue-template"  to set the template to use when reporting issues.
+
+        The template is a string that can contain the following placeholders:
+        - $filename - the file name
+        - $col - the column number
+        - $row - the row number
+        - $text - the word that is misspelled
+        - $message - the issues message: "unknown word", "word is misspelled", etc.
+        - $messageColored - the issues message with color based upon the message type.
+        - $uri - the URI of the file
+        - $suggestions - suggestions for the misspelled word (if requested)
+        - $quickFix - possible quick fixes for the misspelled word.
+        - $contextFull - the full context of the misspelled word.
+        - $contextLeft - the context to the left of the misspelled word.
+        - $contextRight - the context to the right of the misspelled word.
+
+        Color is supported using the following template pattern:
+        - \`{<style[.style]> <text>}\` - where \`<style>\` is a style name and \`<text>\` is the text to style.
+
+        Styles
+        - \`bold\`, \`italic\`, \`underline\`, \`strikethrough\`, \`dim\`, \`inverse\`
+        - \`black\`, \`red\`, \`green\`, \`yellow\`, \`blue\`, \`magenta\`, \`cyan\`, \`white\`
+
+        Example:
+          --issue-template '{green $filename}:{yellow $row}:{yellow $col} $message {red $text} $quickFix {dim $suggestions}'
+    `;
+}
+
 /**
  * Add additional help text to the command.
  * When the verbose flag is set, show the hidden options.
@@ -204,7 +239,8 @@ export function commandLint(prog: Command): Command {
 function augmentCommandHelp(context: AddHelpTextContext) {
     const output: string[] = [];
     const command = context.command;
-    const showHidden = !!command.opts().verbose;
+    const opts = command.opts();
+    const showHidden = !!opts.verbose;
     const hiddenHelp: string[] = [];
     const help = command.createHelp();
     const hiddenOptions = command.options.filter((opt) => opt.hidden && showHidden);
@@ -223,7 +259,7 @@ function augmentCommandHelp(context: AddHelpTextContext) {
         );
     }
     output.push(...hiddenHelp, advanced);
-    return output.join('\n');
+    return helpIssueTemplate(opts) + output.join('\n');
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/cspell/src/app/options.ts b/packages/cspell/src/app/options.ts
index c2e7b147b61..07cfdf4de6b 100644
--- a/packages/cspell/src/app/options.ts
+++ b/packages/cspell/src/app/options.ts
@@ -233,6 +233,36 @@ export interface LinterCliOptions extends LinterOptions {
      * Generate a summary report of performance.
      */
     showPerfSummary?: boolean;
+
+    /**
+     * Set the template to use when reporting issues.
+     *
+     * The template is a string that can contain the following placeholders:
+     * - `$filename` - the file name
+     * - `$col` - the column number
+     * - `$row` - the row number
+     * - `$text` - the word that is misspelled
+     * - `$message` - the issues message: "unknown word", "word is misspelled", etc.
+     * - `$messageColored` - the issues message with color based upon the message type.
+     * - `$uri` - the URI of the file
+     * - `$suggestions` - suggestions for the misspelled word (if requested)
+     * - `$quickFix` - possible quick fixes for the misspelled word.
+     * - `$contextFull` - the full context of the misspelled word.
+     * - `$contextLeft` - the context to the left of the misspelled word.
+     * - `$contextRight` - the context to the right of the misspelled word.
+     *
+     * Color is supported using the following template pattern:
+     * - `{<style[.style]> <text>}` - where `<style>` is a style name and `<text>` is the text to style.
+     *
+     * Styles
+     * - `bold`, `italic`, `underline`, `strikethrough`, `dim`, `inverse`
+     * - `black`, `red`, `green`, `yellow`, `blue`, `magenta`, `cyan`, `white`
+     *
+     * Example:
+     * @example "{green $filename}:{yellow $row}:{yellow $col} $message {red $text} $quickFix {dim $suggestions}"
+     * @since 8.12.0
+     */
+    issueTemplate?: string;
 }
 
 export function fixLegacy<T extends BaseOptions>(opts: T & LegacyOptions): Omit<T & LegacyOptions, 'local'> {
diff --git a/packages/cspell/src/app/util/unindent.test.ts b/packages/cspell/src/app/util/unindent.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f1dcf17598d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cspell/src/app/util/unindent.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from 'vitest';
+
+import { unindent } from './unindent.js';
+
+describe('unindent', () => {
+    test('unindent', () => {
+        expect(unindent`    Hello`).toBe('Hello');
+        expect(unindent`    Hello\n      There`).toBe('Hello\n  There');
+        expect(unindent`\n    Hello\n\n      There\n  `).toBe('\nHello\n\n  There\n');
+        expect(unindent`    ${'Hello'}\n      ${'There'}`).toBe('Hello\n  There');
+        expect(unindent('    Hello')).toBe('Hello');
+        expect(unindent('\n    Hello')).toBe('\nHello');
+    });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cspell/src/app/util/unindent.ts b/packages/cspell/src/app/util/unindent.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4d80a1a5fc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cspell/src/app/util/unindent.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/**
+ * Inject values into a template string.
+ * @param {TemplateStringsArray} template
+ * @param  {...any} values
+ * @returns
+ */
+function _inject(template: TemplateStringsArray, ...values: unknown[]): string {
+    const strings = template;
+    const adjValues = [];
+    for (let i = 0; i < values.length; ++i) {
+        const prevLines = strings[i].split('\n');
+        const currLine = prevLines[prevLines.length - 1];
+        const padLen = padLength(currLine);
+        const padding = ' '.repeat(padLen);
+        const value = `${values[i]}`;
+        let pad = '';
+        const valueLines = [];
+        for (const line of value.split('\n')) {
+            valueLines.push(pad + line);
+            pad = padding;
+        }
+        adjValues.push(valueLines.join('\n'));
+    }
+
+    return _unindent(String.raw({ raw: strings }, ...adjValues));
+}
+
+/**
+ * Calculate the padding at the start of the string.
+ * @param {string} s
+ * @returns {number}
+ */
+function padLength(s: string): number {
+    return s.length - s.trimStart().length;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Remove the left padding from a multi-line string.
+ * @param {string} str
+ * @returns {string}
+ */
+export function unindent(str: string): string;
+/**
+ * Unindent a template string.
+ * @param {TemplateStringsArray} template
+ * @param  {...any} values
+ * @returns
+ */
+export function unindent(template: TemplateStringsArray, ...values: unknown[]): string;
+export function unindent(template: TemplateStringsArray | string, ...values: unknown[]): string {
+    if (typeof template === 'string') {
+        return _unindent(template);
+    }
+    return _inject(template, ...values);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Remove the left padding from a multi-line string.
+ * @param {string} str
+ * @returns {string}
+ */
+function _unindent(str: string): string {
+    const lines = str.split('\n');
+    let curPad = str.length;
+    for (const line of lines) {
+        if (!line.trim()) continue;
+        curPad = Math.min(curPad, padLength(line));
+    }
+
+    return lines.map((line) => line.slice(curPad)).join('\n');
+}