diff --git a/modules/checkers/spell/config.el b/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
index b2eb5935a..dbeb39b4f 100644
--- a/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
+++ b/modules/checkers/spell/config.el
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@
       (add-hook! 'spell-fu-mode-hook
         (defun +spell-init-excluded-faces-h ()
           "Set `spell-fu-faces-exclude' according to `+spell-excluded-faces-alist'."
-          (when-let (excluded (alist-get major-mode +spell-excluded-faces-alist))
+          (when-let (excluded (cdr (cl-find-if #'derived-mode-p +spell-excluded-faces-alist :key #'car)))
             (setq-local spell-fu-faces-exclude excluded))))
 
       ;; TODO custom `spell-fu-check-range' function to reduce false positives