diff --git a/talismanrc/talismanrc.go b/talismanrc/talismanrc.go
index 90bdd588..8b8ba6bc 100644
--- a/talismanrc/talismanrc.go
+++ b/talismanrc/talismanrc.go
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ func fromPersistedRC(configFromTalismanRCFile *persistedRC, mode Mode) *Talisman
 	tRC.ScopeConfig = configFromTalismanRCFile.ScopeConfig
 	tRC.Experimental = configFromTalismanRCFile.Experimental
 	tRC.CustomPatterns = configFromTalismanRCFile.CustomPatterns
+	tRC.CustomSeverities = configFromTalismanRCFile.CustomSeverities
 	tRC.Experimental = configFromTalismanRCFile.Experimental
 	tRC.AllowedPatterns = make([]*regexp.Regexp, len(configFromTalismanRCFile.AllowedPatterns))
 	for i, p := range configFromTalismanRCFile.AllowedPatterns {
diff --git a/talismanrc/talismanrc_test.go b/talismanrc/talismanrc_test.go
index 251f1fe3..96240912 100644
--- a/talismanrc/talismanrc_test.go
+++ b/talismanrc/talismanrc_test.go
@@ -78,6 +78,19 @@ func TestShouldConvertThresholdToValue(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, newPersistedRC(talismanRCContents).Threshold, severity.High)
 }
 
+func TestObeysCustomSeverityLevelsAndThreshold(t *testing.T) {
+	talismanRCContents := []byte(`threshold: high
+custom_severities:
+- detector: Base64Content
+  severity: low
+`)
+	persistedRC := newPersistedRC(talismanRCContents)
+	talismanRC := fromPersistedRC(persistedRC, ScanMode)
+	assert.Equal(t, newPersistedRC(talismanRCContents).Threshold, severity.High)
+	assert.Equal(t, len(newPersistedRC(talismanRCContents).CustomSeverities), 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, persistedRC.CustomSeverities, talismanRC.CustomSeverities)
+}
+
 func TestDirectoryPatterns(t *testing.T) {
 	assertAccepts("foo/", "", "bar", t)
 	assertAccepts("foo/", "", "foo", t)