diff --git a/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/knip.plugin.ts b/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/knip.plugin.ts
index d8edf10..c60e4fd 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/knip.plugin.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/knip.plugin.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import path from 'node:path';
 import type { PluginConfig } from '@code-pushup/models';
 import { KNIP_AUDITS, KNIP_GROUPS, KNIP_PLUGIN_SLUG } from './constants.js';
-import { RunnerOptions, createRunnerConfig } from './runner/index.js';
+import { RunnerOptions, createRunnerFunction } from './runner/index.js';
 
 export type PluginOptions = RunnerOptions;
 
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export function knipPlugin(options: PluginOptions = {}): PluginConfig {
     title: 'Knip',
     icon: 'folder-javascript',
     description: 'A plugin to track dependencies and duplicates',
-    runner: createRunnerConfig({
+    runner: createRunnerFunction({
       ...runnerOptions,
       outputFile,
     }),
diff --git a/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/runner/index.ts b/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/runner/index.ts
index 490d2bd..c0e9e79 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/runner/index.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/runner/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import path from 'node:path';
-import type { RunnerConfig } from '@code-pushup/models';
+import type { AuditOutputs, RunnerFunction } from '@code-pushup/models';
+import { executeProcess, readJsonFile } from '@code-pushup/utils';
 import {
   KNIP_PLUGIN_SLUG,
   KNIP_REPORT_NAME,
@@ -45,7 +46,9 @@ export type KnipCliOptions = Partial<{
 }>;
 export type RunnerOptions = KnipCliOptions & CustomReporterOptions;
 
-export function createRunnerConfig(options: RunnerOptions = {}): RunnerConfig {
+export function createRunnerFunction(
+  options: RunnerOptions = {},
+): RunnerFunction {
   const {
     outputFile = path.join(KNIP_PLUGIN_SLUG, KNIP_REPORT_NAME),
     rawOutputFile,
@@ -54,24 +57,27 @@ export function createRunnerConfig(options: RunnerOptions = {}): RunnerConfig {
   // Resolve the reporter path from the installed package
   const reporterPath = '@code-pushup/knip-plugin/src/lib/reporter.js';
 
-  return {
-    command: 'npx',
-    args: [
-      'knip',
-      // off as we want to CI to pass
-      '--no-exit-code',
-      // off by default to guarantee execution without interference
-      '--no-progress',
-      // code-pushup reporter is used from the installed package
-      `--reporter=${reporterPath}`,
-      // code-pushup reporter options are passed as string. Double JSON.stringify ensures proper escaping on all platforms
-      `--reporter-options=${JSON.stringify(
-        JSON.stringify({
-          outputFile,
-          rawOutputFile,
-        } satisfies CustomReporterOptions),
-      )}`,
-    ],
-    outputFile,
+  return async () => {
+    await executeProcess({
+      command: 'npx',
+      args: [
+        'knip',
+        // off as we want to CI to pass
+        '--no-exit-code',
+        // off by default to guarantee execution without interference
+        '--no-progress',
+        // code-pushup reporter is used from the installed package
+        `--reporter=${reporterPath}`,
+        // code-pushup reporter options are passed as string. Double JSON.stringify ensures proper escaping on all platforms
+        `--reporter-options=${JSON.stringify(
+          JSON.stringify({
+            outputFile,
+            rawOutputFile,
+          } satisfies CustomReporterOptions),
+        )}`,
+      ],
+    });
+
+    return readJsonFile<AuditOutputs>(outputFile);
   };
 }
diff --git a/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/runner/index.unit.test.ts b/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/runner/index.unit.test.ts
index bd643a2..f250fc3 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/runner/index.unit.test.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-knip/src/lib/runner/index.unit.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
-import { runnerConfigSchema } from '@code-pushup/models';
-import { createRunnerConfig } from './index.js';
+import { runnerFunctionSchema } from '@code-pushup/models';
+import { createRunnerFunction } from './index.js';
 
-describe('runnerConfig', () => {
-  it('should return correct runner config object', () => {
+describe('createRunnerFunction', () => {
+  it('should return correct runner function', () => {
     expect(() =>
-      runnerConfigSchema.parse(createRunnerConfig()),
+      runnerFunctionSchema.parse(createRunnerFunction()),
     ).not.toThrowError();
   });
 });