diff --git a/.github/renovate-tracked-deps.json b/.github/renovate-tracked-deps.json
index 513b437c6..18ab66cb3 100644
--- a/.github/renovate-tracked-deps.json
+++ b/.github/renovate-tracked-deps.json
@@ -157,12 +157,13 @@
     "mise.toml": {
       "mise": [
         "actionlint",
-        "aqua:grafana/flint",
+        "aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle",
         "aqua:grafana/gcx",
         "aqua:grafana/oats",
         "aqua:jonwiggins/xmloxide",
         "aqua:owenlamont/ryl",
         "biome",
+        "cargo:https://github.com/grafana/flint",
         "editorconfig-checker",
         "google-java-format",
         "hugo",
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 24481b8e5..e776815c1 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ mise run ci
 # Quick compile without tests or checks (fastest)
 mise run compile
 
-# Run unit tests only (skips formatting/coverage/checkstyle)
+# Run unit tests only (skips formatting and coverage)
 mise run test
 
 # Run all tests including integration tests
@@ -23,15 +23,15 @@ mise run test-all
 
 # Run a single test class
 ./mvnw test -Dtest=CounterTest \
-  -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true
+  -Dcoverage.skip=true
 
 # Run a single test method
 ./mvnw test -Dtest=CounterTest#testIncrement \
-  -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true
+  -Dcoverage.skip=true
 
 # Run tests in a specific module
 ./mvnw test -pl prometheus-metrics-core \
-  -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true
+  -Dcoverage.skip=true
 
 # Regenerate protobuf classes (after protobuf dep update)
 mise run generate
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 519b98fea..a3ea0ef3a 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -89,14 +89,12 @@ mise --cd .mise/envs/native run native-test
 ### Avoid failures while running tests
 
 - Use `-Dcoverage.skip=true` to skip the coverage check during development.
-- Use `-Dcheckstyle.skip=true` to skip the checkstyle check during development.
 - Use `-Dwarnings=-nowarn` to skip the warnings during development.
 
 Combine all with
 
 ```shell
-./mvnw install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true \
-  -Dcheckstyle.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn
+./mvnw install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn
 ```
 
 or simply
diff --git a/checkstyle-suppressions.xml b/checkstyle-suppressions.xml
index 82e964658..b1b9d6cfe 100644
--- a/checkstyle-suppressions.xml
+++ b/checkstyle-suppressions.xml
@@ -21,4 +21,12 @@
 
   <!-- Suppress all Javadoc checks for integration tests -->
   <suppress checks="Javadoc" files=".*[/\\]integration-tests[/\\].*"/>
+
+  <!-- Preserve the repository's main-source-only Checkstyle policy when Flint invokes the
+       standalone CLI with explicit Java files. -->
+  <suppress checks=".*" files=".*[/\\]src[/\\]test[/\\]java[/\\].*"/>
+  <suppress checks=".*" files=".*[/\\]src[/\\]archive[/\\]java[/\\].*"/>
+
+  <!-- Example setup intentionally groups declarations before the simulated work that uses them. -->
+  <suppress checks="VariableDeclarationUsageDistance" files=".*[/\\]examples[/\\].*"/>
 </suppressions>
diff --git a/mise.lock b/mise.lock
index fb15a188d..188462f3f 100644
--- a/mise.lock
+++ b/mise.lock
@@ -46,6 +46,45 @@ url = "https://github.com/rhysd/actionlint/releases/download/v1.7.12/actionlint_
 url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/rhysd/actionlint/releases/assets/384924919"
 provenance = "github-attestations"
 
+[[tools."aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle"]]
+version = "checkstyle-13.8.0"
+backend = "aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle"
+
+[tools."aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle"."platforms.linux-arm64"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools."aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle"."platforms.linux-arm64-musl"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools."aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle"."platforms.linux-x64"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools."aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle"."platforms.linux-x64-musl"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools."aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle"."platforms.macos-arm64"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools."aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle"."platforms.macos-x64"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
+[tools."aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle"."platforms.windows-x64"]
+checksum = "sha256:cb0b1083eb5d3f9f0b7f0edd9a86d8dbe406bf44da73c3df869abace8cb8502c"
+url = "https://github.com/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/download/checkstyle-13.8.0/checkstyle-13.8.0-all.jar"
+url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/checkstyle/checkstyle/releases/assets/474019260"
+
 [[tools."aqua:grafana/flint"]]
 version = "0.22.7"
 backend = "aqua:grafana/flint"
@@ -296,6 +335,10 @@ url = "https://github.com/biomejs/biome/releases/download/%40biomejs/biome%402.5
 url_api = "https://api.github.com/repos/biomejs/biome/releases/assets/470058831"
 provenance = "github-attestations"
 
+[[tools."cargo:https://github.com/grafana/flint"]]
+version = "rev:67309cf"
+backend = "cargo:https://github.com/grafana/flint"
+
 [[tools.editorconfig-checker]]
 version = "3.8.0"
 backend = "aqua:editorconfig-checker/editorconfig-checker"
diff --git a/mise.toml b/mise.toml
index a9dbac2bc..0a559aacf 100644
--- a/mise.toml
+++ b/mise.toml
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@ protoc = "35.1"
 
 # Linters
 actionlint = "1.7.12"
-"aqua:grafana/flint" = "0.22.7"
+"aqua:checkstyle/checkstyle" = "checkstyle-13.8.0"
 "aqua:jonwiggins/xmloxide" = "v0.4.3"
 "aqua:owenlamont/ryl" = "0.21.0"
 biome = "2.5.3"
+"cargo:https://github.com/grafana/flint" = "rev:67309cf"
 editorconfig-checker = "3.8.0"
 google-java-format = "1.35.0"
 lychee = "0.24.2"
@@ -46,16 +47,16 @@ run = "./mvnw clean"
 
 [tasks.compile]
 description = "bare compile, ignoring formatting and linters"
-run = "./mvnw install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
+run = "./mvnw install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
 
 [tasks.generate]
 description = "regenerate protobuf sources"
-run = "./mvnw clean install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
+run = "./mvnw clean install -DskipTests -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
 env.PROTO_GENERATION = "true"
 
 [tasks.test]
 description = "run unit tests, ignoring formatting and linters"
-run = "./mvnw test -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dcheckstyle.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
+run = "./mvnw test -Dcoverage.skip=true -Dwarnings=-nowarn"
 
 [tasks.test-all]
 description = "run all tests"
@@ -76,7 +77,6 @@ BASELINE_OVERRIDE="${API_DIFF_BASELINE_VERSION:+-Dapi.diff.baseline.version=${AP
   ${BASELINE_OVERRIDE} \
   -DskipTests \
   -Dcoverage.skip=true \
-  -Dcheckstyle.skip=true \
   -Dwarnings=-nowarn
 ./.github/scripts/sync-api-diffs.sh
 """
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index d03c6cd6c..e0cfda23d 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
     <!-- Bumped by .github/workflows/bump-api-diff-baseline.yml after each release. -->
     <api.diff.baseline.version>1.8.0</api.diff.baseline.version>
     <jacoco.line-coverage>0.70</jacoco.line-coverage>
-    <checkstyle.skip>false</checkstyle.skip>
     <coverage.skip>false</coverage.skip>
     <javadoc.skip>false</javadoc.skip>
     <warnings>-Werror</warnings>
@@ -182,28 +181,6 @@
       </plugins>
     </pluginManagement>
     <plugins>
-      <plugin>
-        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
-        <artifactId>maven-checkstyle-plugin</artifactId>
-        <version>3.6.0</version>
-        <configuration>
-          <consoleOutput>true</consoleOutput>
-          <configLocation>google_checks.xml</configLocation>
-          <configLocation>checkstyle.xml</configLocation>
-          <violationSeverity>warning</violationSeverity>
-          <failOnViolation>true</failOnViolation>
-          <skip>${checkstyle.skip}</skip>
-          <suppressionsLocation>checkstyle-suppressions.xml</suppressionsLocation>
-          <excludes>**/generated/**,**/jmh_generated/*</excludes>
-        </configuration>
-        <executions>
-          <execution>
-            <goals>
-              <goal>check</goal>
-            </goals>
-          </execution>
-        </executions>
-      </plugin>
       <plugin>
         <groupId>org.jacoco</groupId>
         <artifactId>jacoco-maven-plugin</artifactId>
diff --git a/prometheus-metrics-otel-support/pom.xml b/prometheus-metrics-otel-support/pom.xml
index a4d179114..0365c4695 100644
--- a/prometheus-metrics-otel-support/pom.xml
+++ b/prometheus-metrics-otel-support/pom.xml
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
   </description>
 
   <properties>
-    <checkstyle.skip>true</checkstyle.skip>
     <coverage.skip>true</coverage.skip>
     <javadoc.skip>true</javadoc.skip>
   </properties>
diff --git a/prometheus-metrics-parent/pom.xml b/prometheus-metrics-parent/pom.xml
index d84511964..94467188d 100644
--- a/prometheus-metrics-parent/pom.xml
+++ b/prometheus-metrics-parent/pom.xml
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
   </description>
 
   <properties>
-    <checkstyle.skip>true</checkstyle.skip>
     <coverage.skip>true</coverage.skip>
     <javadoc.skip>true</javadoc.skip>
   </properties>