Ribosome-associated quality control (RQC) pathways monitor and respond to ribosome stalling. Using in vivo UV-crosslinking and mass spectrometry, we identified a C-terminal region in Hel2/Rqt1 as an RNA binding domain. Complementary crosslinking and sequencing data for Hel2 revealed binding to 18S rRNA and translated mRNAs. Hel2 preferentially bound mRNAs upstream and downstream of the stop codon. C-terminal truncation of Hel2 abolished the major 18S crosslink and polysome association, and altered mRNA binding. HEL2 deletion caused loss of RQC and, we report here, no-go decay (NGD), with comparable effects for Hel2 truncation including the RNA-binding site. Asc1 acts upstream of Hel2 in RQC and asc1∆ impaired Hel2 binding to 18S and mRNA. In conclusion: Hel2 is recruited or stabilized on translating 40S ribosomal subunits by interactions with 18S rRNA and Asc1. This 18S interaction is required for Hel2 function in RQC and NGD. Hel2 probably interacts with mRNA during translation termination.