diff --git a/crates/ruff_workspace/src/options.rs b/crates/ruff_workspace/src/options.rs
index f87a5223d9aed..442b8d7d2e16d 100644
--- a/crates/ruff_workspace/src/options.rs
+++ b/crates/ruff_workspace/src/options.rs
@@ -2637,6 +2637,8 @@ pub struct PylintOptions {
 
     /// Maximum number of positional arguments allowed for a function or method definition
     /// (see: `PLR0917`).
+    ///
+    /// If not specified, defaults to the value of `max-args`.
     #[option(default = r"3", value_type = "int", example = r"max-pos-args = 3")]
     pub max_positional_args: Option<usize>,
 
@@ -2670,6 +2672,7 @@ impl PylintOptions {
             max_args: self.max_args.unwrap_or(defaults.max_args),
             max_positional_args: self
                 .max_positional_args
+                .or(self.max_args)
                 .unwrap_or(defaults.max_positional_args),
             max_bool_expr: self.max_bool_expr.unwrap_or(defaults.max_bool_expr),
             max_returns: self.max_returns.unwrap_or(defaults.max_returns),
diff --git a/ruff.schema.json b/ruff.schema.json
index d962edc15e141..3bd21232a2551 100644
--- a/ruff.schema.json
+++ b/ruff.schema.json
@@ -2370,7 +2370,7 @@
           "minimum": 0.0
         },
         "max-positional-args": {
-          "description": "Maximum number of positional arguments allowed for a function or method definition (see: `PLR0917`).",
+          "description": "Maximum number of positional arguments allowed for a function or method definition (see: `PLR0917`).\n\nIf not specified, defaults to the value of `max-args`.",
           "type": [
             "integer",
             "null"