diff --git a/src/core/importType.js b/src/core/importType.js
index ef67b28cca..81e632fd43 100644
--- a/src/core/importType.js
+++ b/src/core/importType.js
@@ -30,15 +30,12 @@ export function isBuiltIn(name, settings, path) {
   return isCoreModule(base) || extras.indexOf(base) > -1;
 }
 
-export function isExternalModule(name, settings, path, context) {
-  if (arguments.length < 4) {
-    throw new TypeError('isExternalModule: name, settings, path, and context are all required');
-  }
-  return (isModule(name) || isScoped(name)) && typeTest(name, context, path, settings) === 'external';
+export function isExternalModule(name, path, context) {
+  return (isModule(name) || isScoped(name)) && typeTest(name, context, path) === 'external';
 }
 
-export function isExternalModuleMain(name, settings, path, context) {
-  return isModuleMain(name) && typeTest(name, context, path, settings) === 'external';
+export function isExternalModuleMain(name, path, context) {
+  return isModuleMain(name) && typeTest(name, context, path) === 'external';
 }
 
 const moduleRegExp = /^\w/;
@@ -106,7 +103,8 @@ function isExternalLookingName(name) {
   return isModule(name) || isScoped(name);
 }
 
-function typeTest(name, context, path, settings = context.settings) {
+function typeTest(name, context, path ) {
+  const { settings } = context;
   if (isInternalRegexMatch(name, settings)) { return 'internal'; }
   if (isAbsolute(name, settings, path)) { return 'absolute'; }
   if (isBuiltIn(name, settings, path)) { return 'builtin'; }
diff --git a/src/rules/extensions.js b/src/rules/extensions.js
index 677a0a0959..8596cbfd0f 100644
--- a/src/rules/extensions.js
+++ b/src/rules/extensions.js
@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ module.exports = {
       // determine if this is a module
       const isPackage = isExternalModule(
         importPath,
-        context.settings,
         resolve(importPath, context),
         context,
       ) || isScoped(importPath);
diff --git a/src/rules/no-cycle.js b/src/rules/no-cycle.js
index cefa41f99d..e61c3be26c 100644
--- a/src/rules/no-cycle.js
+++ b/src/rules/no-cycle.js
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ module.exports = {
     const maxDepth = typeof options.maxDepth === 'number' ? options.maxDepth : Infinity;
     const ignoreModule = (name) => options.ignoreExternal && isExternalModule(
       name,
-      context.settings,
       resolve(name, context),
       context,
     );
diff --git a/tests/src/core/importType.js b/tests/src/core/importType.js
index a73d47f242..937f193033 100644
--- a/tests/src/core/importType.js
+++ b/tests/src/core/importType.js
@@ -245,20 +245,20 @@ describe('importType(name)', function () {
 
   it('`isExternalModule` works with windows directory separator', function () {
     const context = testContext();
-    expect(isExternalModule('foo', {}, 'E:\\path\\to\\node_modules\\foo', context)).to.equal(true);
-    expect(isExternalModule('@foo/bar', {}, 'E:\\path\\to\\node_modules\\@foo\\bar', context)).to.equal(true);
-    expect(isExternalModule('foo', {
-      'import/external-module-folders': ['E:\\path\\to\\node_modules'],
-    }, 'E:\\path\\to\\node_modules\\foo', context)).to.equal(true);
+    expect(isExternalModule('foo', 'E:\\path\\to\\node_modules\\foo', context)).to.equal(true);
+    expect(isExternalModule('@foo/bar', 'E:\\path\\to\\node_modules\\@foo\\bar', context)).to.equal(true);
+    expect(isExternalModule('foo', 'E:\\path\\to\\node_modules\\foo', testContext({
+      settings: { 'import/external-module-folders': ['E:\\path\\to\\node_modules'] },
+    }))).to.equal(true);
   });
 
   it('`isExternalModule` works with unix directory separator', function () {
     const context = testContext();
-    expect(isExternalModule('foo', {}, '/path/to/node_modules/foo', context)).to.equal(true);
-    expect(isExternalModule('@foo/bar', {}, '/path/to/node_modules/@foo/bar', context)).to.equal(true);
-    expect(isExternalModule('foo', {
-      'import/external-module-folders': ['/path/to/node_modules'],
-    }, '/path/to/node_modules/foo', context)).to.equal(true);
+    expect(isExternalModule('foo', '/path/to/node_modules/foo', context)).to.equal(true);
+    expect(isExternalModule('@foo/bar', '/path/to/node_modules/@foo/bar', context)).to.equal(true);
+    expect(isExternalModule('foo', '/path/to/node_modules/foo', testContext({
+      settings: { 'import/external-module-folders': ['/path/to/node_modules'] },
+    }))).to.equal(true);
   });
 
   it('correctly identifies scoped modules with `isScoped`', () => {