diff --git a/.github/workflows/TestStatic.yml b/.github/workflows/TestStatic.yml
index ab07be88..12511639 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/TestStatic.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/TestStatic.yml
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Verify files were created
         run: |
-          test -f phpcs.xml
+          test -f phpcs.xml.dist
 
       - name: Fix settings.php
         run: |
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 15f7f4f2..f26251e2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ for a Drupal site, including:
   - [Setup](#setup-1)
 - [Testing](#testing)
   - [Static Tests](#static-tests)
-    - [Excluding Files from PHP_CodeSniffer](#excluding-files-from-php_codesniffer)
+    - [Altering PHP_CodeSniffer Configuration](#altering-php_codesniffer-configuration)
   - [Functional Tests](#functional-tests)
     - [PHPUnit](#phpunit)
     - [Nightwatch](#nightwatch)
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ for a Drupal site, including:
   - [Pantheon](#pantheon-2)
 - [Tugboat](#tugboat)
 - [Contributor Docs](#contributor-docs)
+  - [Local Development](#local-development)
   - [Peer Review Guidelines for Automated Updates](#peer-review-guidelines-for-automated-updates)
     - [Handling Version Ranges](#handling-version-ranges)
     - [Handling Test Failures](#handling-test-failures)
@@ -228,34 +229,18 @@ All the below static code analysis tests can be run with `task test:static`
 | PHPCS     | task test:phpcs          | Runs PHPCS with Drupal coding standards provided by [Coder module](https://www.drupal.org/project/coder                                                                                                                                                                |
 
 
-#### Excluding Files from PHP_CodeSniffer
-
-`phpcs.xml` can be altered using Drupal's
-[composer scaffold](https://www.drupal.org/docs/develop/using-composer/using-drupals-composer-scaffold#toc_4).
+#### Altering PHP_CodeSniffer Configuration
 
+- Create `phpcs.xml` to override the `phpcs.xml.dist` file with overrides being done in:
+  ```
+  <rule ref="phpcs.xml.dist">
+  </rule>
+  ```
 - Edit `phpcs.xml` in the root of your project, e.g. to add an exclude pattern:
   ```
   <!-- Custom excludes -->
   <exclude-pattern>web/sites/sites.php</exclude-pattern>
   ```
-- Create a patch file
-  ```
-  diff -urN vendor/lullabot/drainpipe-dev/scaffold/phpcs.xml phpcs.xml > patches/custom/phpcs.xml.patch
-  ```
-- Add the patch to `composer.json`
-  ```
-  "scripts": {
-        "pre-drupal-scaffold-cmd": [
-            "if [ -f \"phpcs.xml\" ]; then rm phpcs.xml; fi"
-        ],
-        "post-drupal-scaffold-cmd": [
-            "if [ -f \"phpcs.xml\" ]; then patch phpcs.xml < patches/custom/phpcs.xml.patch; fi"
-        ]
-  },
-  ```
-  The pre hook is needed otherwise the composer scaffold attempts to re-patch a file it no longer has control over when running `composer install --no-dev`
-- Delete the `vendor` directory and `phpcs.xml` and then run `composer install`
-  to verify everything works as expected
 
 ### Functional Tests
 
@@ -681,6 +666,10 @@ Peer Reviewing by looking at PR code changes is nice.
 
 Testing PR code changes on real sites is extra beneficial.
 
+### Local Development
+
+In order to test local changes follow the instructions for the [test script](./docs/test-script.md).
+
 ### Peer Review Guidelines for Automated Updates
 
 These are guidelines for conducting peer reviews on automated dependency update pull requests created by Renovate.
diff --git a/docs/test-script.md b/docs/test-script.md
index ae1e0b36..ec54d934 100644
--- a/docs/test-script.md
+++ b/docs/test-script.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 A test script is available in `tests/local-test.sh` to setup a Drupal site
 with Drainpipe packages installed from your local checkout.
 
-Go to the directory above `drainpipe` and run the `tests/local-hest.sh` script
+Go to the directory above `drainpipe` and run the `tests/local-test.sh` script
 to setup a new test site e.g.
 ```
 ❯ pwd
diff --git a/drainpipe-dev/composer.json b/drainpipe-dev/composer.json
index a69fb84f..57fb3782 100644
--- a/drainpipe-dev/composer.json
+++ b/drainpipe-dev/composer.json
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
                 "[web-root]/sites/sites.php": "scaffold/nightwatch/sites.php",
                 "[project-root]/.ddev/docker-compose.selenium.yaml": "scaffold/nightwatch/docker-compose.selenium.yaml",
                 "[project-root]/test/nightwatch/example.nightwatch.js": "scaffold/nightwatch/example.nightwatch.js",
-                "[project-root]/phpcs.xml": "scaffold/phpcs.xml"
+                "[project-root]/phpcs.xml.dist": "scaffold/phpcs.xml.dist"
             }
         }
     },
diff --git a/drainpipe-dev/scaffold/phpcs.xml b/drainpipe-dev/scaffold/phpcs.xml.dist
similarity index 100%
rename from drainpipe-dev/scaffold/phpcs.xml
rename to drainpipe-dev/scaffold/phpcs.xml.dist
diff --git a/tasks/test.yml b/tasks/test.yml
index 5608db95..e5fabfa4 100644
--- a/tasks/test.yml
+++ b/tasks/test.yml
@@ -137,8 +137,7 @@ tasks:
     desc: Runs PHPCS with Drupal Coding Standards
     summary: |
       Check your code against Drupal's coding standards. To override the default
-      ruleset, copy vendor/lullabot/drainpipe/scaffold/phpcs.xml to phpcs.xml
-      in the root of your project and edit as needed.
+      ruleset, create a phpcs.xml file and extend phpcs.xml.dist
     cmds:
       - |
         {{ .FUNC_ENSURE_DIRS }}