diff --git a/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_base.py b/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_base.py
index b15e9d77..75a4cf96 100644
--- a/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_base.py
+++ b/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_base.py
@@ -4,11 +4,8 @@ import jsonschema.exceptions
 import os.path
 import yaml
 
-from pre_commit import git
-
 
 def get_validator(
-    default_filename,
     json_schema,
     exception_type,
     additional_validation_strategy=lambda obj: None,
@@ -16,17 +13,13 @@ def get_validator(
     """Returns a function which will validate a yaml file for correctness
 
     Args:
-        default_filename - Default filename to look for if none is specified
         json_schema - JSON schema to validate file with
         exception_type - Error type to raise on failure
         additional_validation_strategy - Strategy for additional validation of
             the object read from the file.  The function should either raise
             exception_type on failure.
     """
-
-    def validate(filename=None, load_strategy=yaml.load):
-        filename = filename or os.path.join(git.get_root(), default_filename)
-
+    def validate(filename, load_strategy=yaml.load):
         if not os.path.exists(filename):
             raise exception_type('File {0} does not exist'.format(filename))
 
diff --git a/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_config.py b/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_config.py
index ed0b1581..0f783a6e 100644
--- a/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_config.py
+++ b/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_config.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import argparse
 import re
 import sys
 
-import pre_commit.constants as C
 from pre_commit.clientlib.validate_base import get_validator
 from pre_commit.util import entry
 
@@ -58,7 +57,6 @@ def validate_config_extra(config):
 
 
 load_config = get_validator(
-    C.CONFIG_FILE,
     CONFIG_JSON_SCHEMA,
     InvalidConfigError,
     additional_validation_strategy=validate_config_extra,
@@ -68,19 +66,11 @@ load_config = get_validator(
 @entry
 def run(argv):
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
-    parser.add_argument(
-        'filenames',
-        nargs='*', default=None,
-        help='Config filenames.  Defaults to {0} at root of git repo'.format(
-            C.CONFIG_FILE,
-        )
-    )
+    parser.add_argument('filenames', nargs='*', help='Config filenames.')
     args = parser.parse_args(argv)
 
-    filenames = args.filenames or [C.CONFIG_FILE]
     retval = 0
-
-    for filename in filenames:
+    for filename in args.filenames:
         try:
             load_config(filename)
         except InvalidConfigError as e:
diff --git a/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_manifest.py b/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_manifest.py
index 28f544cf..43200832 100644
--- a/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_manifest.py
+++ b/pre_commit/clientlib/validate_manifest.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 import argparse
 import sys
 
-import pre_commit.constants as C
 from pre_commit.clientlib.validate_base import get_validator
 from pre_commit.languages.all import all_languages
 from pre_commit.util import entry
@@ -48,7 +47,6 @@ def additional_manifest_check(obj):
 
 
 load_manifest = get_validator(
-    C.MANIFEST_FILE,
     MANIFEST_JSON_SCHEMA,
     InvalidManifestError,
     additional_manifest_check,
@@ -58,19 +56,11 @@ load_manifest = get_validator(
 @entry
 def run(argv):
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
-    parser.add_argument(
-        'filenames',
-        nargs='*', default=None,
-        help='Manifest filenames.  Defaults to {0} at root of git repo'.format(
-            C.MANIFEST_FILE,
-        )
-    )
+    parser.add_argument('filenames', nargs='*', help='Manifest filenames.')
     args = parser.parse_args(argv)
 
-    filenames = args.filenames or [C.MANIFEST_FILE]
     retval = 0
-
-    for filename in filenames:
+    for filename in args.filenames:
         try:
             load_manifest(filename)
         except InvalidManifestError as e:
diff --git a/tests/clientlib/validate_base_test.py b/tests/clientlib/validate_base_test.py
index 2a74ba88..76b0eb57 100644
--- a/tests/clientlib/validate_base_test.py
+++ b/tests/clientlib/validate_base_test.py
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
 
-import __builtin__
-
-import os.path
-import mock
 import pytest
 
-from pre_commit import git
 from pre_commit.clientlib.validate_base import get_validator
 from pre_commit.ordereddict import OrderedDict
 from pre_commit.yaml_extensions import ordered_load
@@ -17,12 +12,12 @@ class AdditionalValidatorError(ValueError): pass
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def noop_validator():
-    return get_validator('example_hooks.yaml', {}, ValueError)
+    return get_validator({}, ValueError)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def array_validator():
-    return get_validator('', {'type': 'array'}, ValueError)
+    return get_validator({'type': 'array'}, ValueError)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -31,7 +26,6 @@ def additional_validator():
         raise AdditionalValidatorError
 
     return get_validator(
-        'example_hooks.yaml',
         {},
         ValueError,
         additional_validation_strategy=raises_always,
@@ -48,14 +42,6 @@ def test_raises_for_invalid_yaml_file(noop_validator):
         noop_validator(get_resource_path('non_parseable_yaml_file.yaml'))
 
 
-def test_defaults_to_backup_filename(noop_validator):
-    with mock.patch.object(__builtin__, 'open', side_effect=open) as mock_open:
-        noop_validator()
-        mock_open.assert_called_once_with(
-            os.path.join(git.get_root(), 'example_hooks.yaml'), 'r',
-        )
-
-
 def test_raises_for_failing_schema(array_validator):
     with pytest.raises(ValueError):
         array_validator(get_resource_path('valid_yaml_but_invalid_manifest.yaml'))
@@ -67,7 +53,7 @@ def test_passes_array_schema(array_validator):
 
 def test_raises_when_additional_validation_fails(additional_validator):
     with pytest.raises(AdditionalValidatorError):
-        additional_validator()
+        additional_validator(get_resource_path('array_yaml_file.yaml'))
 
 
 def test_returns_object_after_validating(noop_validator):