diff --git a/.dir-locals.el b/.dir-locals.el
index 52e4df99b..6e0a218de 100644
--- a/.dir-locals.el
+++ b/.dir-locals.el
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-((nil . ((whitespace-action . '(auto-cleanup))
-	 (whitespace-style . '(trailing lines-tail))
-	 (require-final-newline . t)))
+((nil . ((whitespace-action auto-cleanup)
+	 (whitespace-style face empty trailing lines-tail)
+	 (require-final-newline . t)
+	 (mode . whitespace))))
  (c++-mode . ((c-default-style . "gnu")
 	      (indent-tab-mode . t)
 	      (tab-width . 8)